


A Prime, Divided

by avengersasssemble



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftercare, Alpha Steve, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Awkward Conversations, Baby Peter, Bathing/Washing, Dirty Talk, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Feral Behavior, Forced Relationship, Getting Together, Graphic Violence, Hand Feeding, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, Knotting, Language Barrier, M/M, Massages, Misunderstandings, Nonsexual dubcon, Omega Peter, Omega Tony, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prince Tony - Freeform, Running Away, Scenting, Sharing a Bed, Sick Tony, Superfamily (Marvel), Warlord steve, warlord au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2020-10-04 10:54:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 63,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20469854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avengersasssemble/pseuds/avengersasssemble
Summary: Facing his and his infant son's possible death sentence, young prince Tony runs away to the only place where his father would dare not follow: the Northern Territories, known to house the most savage and brutal Alphas--including their bloodthirsty leader, the Prime Alpha. Forced to navigate fatherhood and diplomacy while being unable to speak the Northern language, Tony has to make decisions to save his son, even at his own expense.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tags updated as chapters updated. Beta'd by @lylilunapotter.
> 
> Comments and kudos are really appreciated! Ask me questions over @avengersasssemble on tumblr.com.

In the faint glow of candlelight, the young Omega prince hurriedly packed his knapsack with shaking hands, double and triple-checking it to confirm that he had remembered all the necessities for the long trip ahead. He cinched the bag shut and tied a rolled-up winter blanket on top, then donned it and a wineskin full of goat’s milk. Sweat had accumulated on his palms so he wiped them off on his pants, clenching and unclenching the fabric in an effort to still his nerves. With one final glance around the room, he grabbed his family crest and slipped it over his neck, tucking the expensively jeweled pendant under his shirt to hide it. Silent, he blew out the candle and headed for the window, expertly climbing out and closing it behind himself before beginning the three-story descent to the ground. The height of the castle was making him more nauseous than he already was, and the cool wind blowing on his face did nothing to alleviate his fear. Rather, sweat had slicked up his palms once more, and in the effort to scale down quickly, he slipped twice, seizing his heart and bringing up bile to his throat.

As soon as his feet touched down, he stumbled off for the meeting place, careful to hold his necklace so it would not jingle and alert any of the patrolling guards. Thankfully, it was a new moon, providing him with the necessary darkness needed to dart from place to place. It was a practiced escape, but his heart still hammered wildly in his chest: enough so that he was afraid that someone would be able to hear it and find him out. Of course, he reached the city’s wall without issue, panting silently as he pressed up against the carefully carved stone, hiding in the shadows. The agonizing moments ticked on without sight of his partners, but just as he was about to give up, two sets of footfalls ran toward him from the right, and a quiet whistle signaled their arrival. He moved quickly toward the sound and found them, holding his arms out for the bundle passed to him.

“Mary?” He dared to whisper, flicking his eyes back and forth between his friends’ faces.

They both shook their heads and he choked on a painful sob, holding the bundle a little tighter to his chest. He barely had the second to gather himself together, attempting to force down his body’s need to shake with fear.

“You need to go, Tony,” one whispered, pressing their foreheads together, “We’ll stall as long as we can, but you need to go _now_.”

“Be careful,” the second added, pressing his forehead into the huddle, “Stick to the shadows. I’ll send for you as soon as I can.”

The prince nodded and tearfully let them embrace him before turning toward the wall. With practiced efficiency, he carefully tucked the bundle into his chest and tightened his sash belt to create a makeshift carrier. He took the leap and scrambled up and over, checking on the bundle to make sure all was well. Thankfully, the outer torches were starting to go out as dawn approached, so he dashed for the nearby forest, using the stars to navigate his way toward the Northern Territory. If he was to escape from his father’s army, he needed to hide out in a land where he would not dare send men, for fear of losing them all to a stronger foe. That meant he had to head into the belly of the beast: an unclaimed Omega, running for his life directly into the Warlords’ land, ruled with an iron fist under a terrifying Prime Alpha who was said to lick his conquered enemies’ bones clean once he’d finished his human meal.

Cannibalism was the least of his worries about the Prime Alpha. Rumors swirled around his city like fog, but he had heard stories from the Captain of the Guard himself and knew how dangerous the Alpha could be. It was said that the man was built like a mountain, immovable and immeasurable, both in power and cruelty. He commanded the largest army on their landmass, having conquered the eastern half of the Northern Territory during his first four years in command. However, unlike other Captains, he was always at the front of his army, riding into battle with a shield in one hand and his horse’s reins in the other. No one could fathom how a man without a weapon could win such large battles, but the Prime Alpha succeeded each time, wiping out waves of men with few losses of his own. It was a terrifying concept, to say the least, that a man could cause so much destruction with only his bare hands.

And here he was, running straight into that same man’s hands, hoping that the enemy would be more accepting than his own father.

Thankfully, the path toward the Northern Territory was nothing more than a dense forest, giving Tony the dark cover he needed as he pushed on day and night, only stopping for food and drink when his feet began to protest. That, and whenever his bundle shifted. It was now the fifth morning of traveling by foot and based on his food supply, he was either going to have to start to hunt and cook or hope that he found his way to a Warlord camp. For now, he found a large, hollow oak to take refuge in, sheltering himself and his bundle. He had barely settled down when rain began to sound around him, pounding down on the strong tree. He was dry, though, so Tony paid it no mind.

Carefully, he unwound his sash belt and removed the bundle, smiling down at it as he unraveled his treasure. His own eyes blinked back at him, but they were accompanied by a button nose and small, soft lips, between which an equally small thumb was stuck.

“Now, now, that is not tasty, Peter,” Tony said softly, gently removing the baby’s hand from its mouth, “I bet you’ve been ready to feed for a while, yeah?”

Since he had fathered the child rather than birthed him, he figured he could not produce the milk needed to feed him. Instead, he took up the wineskin full of milk and guided it to the baby’s mouth, careful to let him drink only a small amount.

“Easy there, we have to make this last, son,” Tony whispered, pulling the drink away, “Not too much longer, I promise. I’ll bathe you and clothe you properly as soon as I can, sweet one.”

He gently brushed back Peter’s soft hairs and smiled weakly at the happy baby, letting him nibble on his fingers for a good while. The baby was so very small, even compared to his own small hands, and he feared that one wrong move would hurt the poor thing. He had absolutely no idea how to care for a child; all he had had was a few short months to ask questions that would not arouse suspicion. Even then, the only person he could ask was his mother, and whenever he would get one piece of information, his father would walk in and demand he return to his studies. He was flying almost completely blind, and if it were not for his friends’ counsel and advice, he was sure he would have hurt Peter by now. The thought scared him to death; sure, the babe was far from planned, but Peter was _his_, and he would do everything in his power to keep the boy safe. That meant he had to keep Peter away from his father, in a place where he would not dare to go. The babe yawned and startled Tony out of his thoughts; he smiled and curled the babe up against his chest, content to rock him back and forth as they waited out the storm. Once the rain outside dwindled to a soft patter, he swaddled Peter back up and kissed the tip of his nose.

“We should keep moving. The rain will provide us cover,” he explained, tucking the baby back under his shirt and tying his sash on once more, “We’ll be there by nightfall, I’m sure of it.”

Peter did not answer, but the baby seemed to understand and settled down, allowing Tony to don his knapsack and wineskin as he ducked out of their hiding spot. He wrapped his arms around the baby and started into the rain, walking for another few hours before a small sound drew his attention. He continued to move, but he changed directions every few minutes, listening for the sound again. An hour passed without incident, so he let himself relax, smiling as he finally exited the other side of the forest. The clearing was not large, and the sun felt good on his face, so Tony paused, looking up into the sky. He let out a deep sigh of relief, closing his eyes and letting the warm rays melt over his skin. However, once he began to move again, a cold, sharp object was pressed into the back of his neck. A chill swept through his body and his Omega nature took over; he pivoted on his heel, crouching over slightly as he faced the person behind him. It was a woman, a little taller than himself, holding an elongated spear out so its tip was pointed at his throat. His senses started going haywire and he pivoted again, finding himself completely surrounded by similarly-dressed men and women, all holding spears to his neck.

Unable to do much else, Tony let out a growl deep in his register, momentarily loosening all the Alphas around him. An Omega parent could easily render an Alpha stunned with a protective growl, so Tony used it to his advantage, ducking under the spears and dashing out from the circle, feet pounding on the grass to get to safety. He’d nearly made it into the forest on the other side of the clearing when a hand came down on his head and stopped him, easily picking him up completely off the ground and turning him around. Tony’s mouth fell open in awe and fear as he stared up at the blond giant in front of him, clad in leather armor and face paint.

_Warlord_.

The Warlord began to speak, his voice deep and rich as it flowed through his native tongue. Tony shook his head and fumbled for an attempt to explain himself, completely taken aback by the man.

“I do not understand,” he said, failing to not flinch under the Warlord’s surprisingly gentle hand, “I am not from these lands—”

“A Southerner?” The Warlord said, smiling at Tony’s surprise, “I speak many languages. It is why I patrol the borders for trespassers such as yourself. Why are you here, in the Northern Territory? Surely you know your people are at war with our own.”

“I seek refuge,” Tony blurted out nervously, curling in on himself as the people with spears began to surround them, “I—I did not know where else to go. My father would follow me everywhere…except here. I was hoping to be granted an audience with the P-prime.”

The Warlord removed his hand and tilted his head, turning to the people behind him to speak to them in what Tony assumed was the Warlord language. After a second, he turned back, motioning to Tony with his hand.

“Why an audience? What do you bring that he must see?” He asked.

Tony froze, but he swallowed and nodded, carefully undoing his sash belt and tucking it into his pants. Slowly, he drew out his bundle from under his shirt and cradled it in his arms, slightly undoing the swaddle to show the group. A shocked gasp and murmur ran through them, something that Tony was expecting. Peter paid no mind to the strange response; rather, he stretched and yawned, turning to tuck his head into his father to recapture his warmth. There, on both of their necks were matching bumps, clean and pristine.

Two unclaimed, unmarked Omegas, father and son, traveling alone.

The Warlord turned to the group and spoke quickly, waving his hands as if to direct them. Within minutes, the group had split up, running off into the forest.

“What—What is happening?” Tony asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice as he bundled Peter back up, holding the baby close to him in a display of protectiveness.

“They’re bringing the carriage around. We need to bring you—the _both_ of you to safety,” the Warlord said, nodding to direct Tony to follow him, “Out here—the forest is not always protected. Anyone could have gotten to you both when you are this far removed from the colony. If you were willing to take that risk, I have no doubt that your need is mighty. I will make sure our Prime Alpha sees you as soon as we reach the city.”

Tony breathed out a sigh of relief and thanked the Warlord, whispering the good news to Peter as they headed into the forest. It only took a minute for them to reach the carriage, already hitched up and ready for the ride back. The Warlord helped Tony up before climbing up and sitting next to him, nodding to the driver to begin.

“Do you have a name I can call you?” Tony asked once they were well into their travel, feeling more comfortable with the man next to him, “I am Tony, and this one is Peter.”

“I am Thor, the Prime’s translator,” Thor said with a large smile, “I know most every dialect there is to know—I have been trying to teach others the Southern language, but our Prime is not…gifted in speech. I will have to translate for you when needed. You should be able to speak freely with him, do not worry. So, tell me, Tony, why have you traveled so far to run away? The Southern cities are close to the sea. Why not board a ship?”

“My father would find me. He has eyes and ears everywhere, so nowhere except these lands are safe. He is too… frugal to put men at risk by tracking me up this way. If all goes as planned, he will announce my death in a fortnight’s time and I will be able to live freely,” Tony explained softly, gently easing Peter out of his bundle so he could hold the baby up against his chest, tucking his head into his neck, “I have friends who still live there so if I ever return, I could stay safe, but…”

He rubbed a hand over Peter’s back and sucked in a breath, trying to keep the quiver out of his voice.

“My priority is to keep my son safe, which means staying away from the cities. If anyone ever found out about how he was born, we’d both be killed.”

“Out of wedlock?” Thor asked, clearly confused.

“Out of wedlock, but more importantly, his mother is—was—an Omega as well,” Tony said.

He looked over at Thor, expecting to see disgust or even concern, but the giant merely stared back at him, more confused than before.

“I do not understand,” Thor said, “Are not all children to be celebrated?”

Tony opened his mouth to answer, then closed it, not quite sure how to continue.

“We do not care about pairing designations in our colony,” Thor continued, “Bonds are stronger when chosen by the people, not by their designations. We have many same-designation couples and parents who have children and are quite happy together. None will be bothered that young Peter was born of two Omegas, I promise you.”

“Oh,” Tony said weakly, attempting to process the new information with a rapidly thumping heart.

Allowing same-designation relations was unheard of in the Southern cities, going so far as to require the workers at the brothels to only service differently designated customers. If at any time a child were to arise from such relations, whether in the brothel or outside of, the child would be taken from their parents and dashed upon the stones in the city square to be made into an example. Then, if the parents were bonded, their bond was forcibly broken by the birther being hung first, then the life giver having their throat slit. It was bloody and gruesome, and Tony knew that being a royal could not save him from the laws his own father was all too joyful to establish in their own city.

He was quiet for the rest of the carriage ride, busying himself with attempting to calm Peter down enough to rest and thinking about what he had gotten himself into. Sure, his father had forced him to study various cultures in order to prepare him to assume the throne, but his few hours of lecture about the Warlords said nothing about tolerance in general, let alone that for couples. It was startling to hear that a group he was raised to think of as violent warmongers was actually quite progressive and, so far, quite kind. Kindness was a rare commodity, and to be gifted it by a stranger that looked like he could snap him in half with a flick of his wrist made Tony feel confused and a bit uneasy. His ability to trust had long been shattered; he began to bundle Peter up once again, swaddling him as tight as he could in case he needed to flee from the colony. Most likely, he would not make it far, but he would take his chances if his situation began to sour.

One of the drivers in front of them turned around and spoke to Thor. He nodded and spoke back, patting the driver on his shoulder.

“We should be arriving shortly,” Thor said in the Southern language, smiling at Tony, “Do not be afraid. I will speak true, friend.”

Tony nodded dumbly and clutched at Peter, staring off at the horizon as looming walls came into view. He had never heard anything about the Warlords having a structured town; as far as he knew, they lived in thatch huts, not in a clearly sophisticated city. His mouth fell open as the carriage drew closer, allowing him to see the detailed gargoyles and carvings done on the outer stone walls, displaying a type of artistic talent that in his own city was usually reserved for just the palace. Once they were through the large iron gates, he felt his breath whoosh from his lungs, completely taken aback by what he saw. It was a bustling hub, full of all types of people selling their wares and mingling on the streets. Spices wafted through the air, making his mouth water and stomach rumble as people moved past them with baskets of various foods perched on their heads.

“Are you hungry?” Thor asked next to his ear, nearly startling him, “After your audience, I will see to it that you and the young one are fed.”

“Thank you,” Tony breathed, blinking away hot tears as gratitude and relief welled up inside of him, “I cannot—I am so thankful—”

Thor merely patted his shoulder, holding him steady. The carriage came to a halt and Thor jumped out, offering up a hand for Tony to grab onto. With Peter in the crook of his arm, Tony took Thor’s hand and gingerly climbed down before shifting his packs to a more comfortable position. As Thor led them into the main castle, Tony was constantly prodded on by the guards, but he could not help his dallying as the inside of the structure was just as grand as the outside. Stained glass shone colored scenes on the polished floors, just out of reach of the ornate carpet that stretched out from the door and into the throne room.

“Leave your things out here. The others are wary around carried objects brought near our Prime,” Thor explained, pointing to the floor outside the throne room doors, “Perhaps you should tuck the young one away? The noise may be too much for him.”

Not wanting to seem rude, Tony quickly shed his knapsack and wineskin, then tucked Peter under his shirt once more and tied him in place with his sash. He placed a hand under the baby’s rump to keep him steady, then nodded to Thor. The giant easily pushed open the doors to the throne room and they stepped through with Tony slightly hiding behind the man. The room was dead silent and the Alphas standing around them stared at him, unblinking and unmoving. Based on their armor and warpaint, it was obvious that they were the other Warlords, most likely in a conference with the Prime. Once Thor began to speak their native tongue, all eyes swept to him, but none of them betrayed any emotion on their faces. Tony held back his whimpers at the overpowering pheromones in the room and forced himself to stand tall, tilting his chin up slightly.

“They wish to hear what you have to say,” Thor said to him, turning around and putting a hand on his shoulder, “Speak freely. I will translate as you talk.”

He nodded, and Thor stepped aside, revealing the Prime to him, slouched in his throne with his head on his fist. Tony paused and took the man in, hoping that his eyes were not as wide as dinner plates. He was smaller than Thor but broader, so well-defined in the upper body that his skin looked like it might tear. Unlike the other Alphas, he wore only a short leather kilt and boots, most likely traditional for his position. Red, white, and blue paint swirled on all of his available skin, creating intricate patterns that made Tony wonder if it was a language or merely a design. His hair was shaved on the sides, save for two small braids brought back around his head to meet with the large top braid. The whole thing was twisted together and hung over his shoulder. Strips of cloth and various hanging ornaments were intertwined with the hair: small trophies of the conquered, no doubt. He was undeniably handsome, and with a stroke of his carefully groomed beard, motioned to Tony to begin.

“My name is Anthony, and I hail from the Southern tip, from the city of Ma’atan, ruled by the king Howard Stark and the queen Maria Stark,” he said with a slightly quivering voice as he tried to ignore Thor translating next to him, “I have come seeking refuge from my home. I fear for my life.”

The Prime tilted his head and glanced over at Thor, then asked a question. His voice was sweet but rough, as if he had been woken up for this meeting. He and Thor exchanged a few gruff sentences, then Thor turned to Tony.

“He knows the city well. He wants to know what you fear that would make you leave behind a wealthy home,” he explained.

“My father,” Tony answered, looking the Prime square in the eye, “The king.”

Thor looked bewildered but he relayed the information, at which the Prime sat up straight, narrowing his eyes at Tony. He snapped out a sentence, clearly angered by the admittance.

“He demands proof,” Thor said hurriedly.

Tony reached into his shirt and pulled out his stolen family crest, throwing it at the Prime carelessly. A wash of fearful pheromones doused the room, but no one moved to protect the Prime. Instead, the man easily grabbed it out of the air and looked at it, his face paling under the warpaint as he ran his thumb over the jeweled object. He looked up at Thor and spoke again, handing the crest off to the Alpha to his left.

“He—ah, yes, he believes you,” Thor said, eyebrows furrowed as the Prime continued to talk, “He wants to know why the son of a rich man who has decimated thousands—”

He switched to the native tongue and snapped at the Prime, then sighed, placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“My apologies. He can be rude at times. Diplomacy is not his strong suit,” he apologized.

“He is not wrong. My father is a vile beast who cares about nothing but himself,” Tony said, meeting the Prime’s gaze, “That is why I have come here. He fears your legacy and would not risk losing himself. He would rather have a dead son.”

Thor was beginning to look pale himself, but he translated, and the Prime raised an eyebrow, amused at the response. He spoke again, lazily turning his hand in the air.

“He wants you to prove it,” Thor said, glaring back at the Prime, “You do not have to, Tony. You are still a guest of mine if you choose to keep your privacy.”

Tony stopped him with a wave of his hand and untied his sash while he turned around, removing his shirt one-handed and letting both articles drop to the ground. Startled gasps ricocheted around the room, sinking into the stones like rainwater. Ugly scars interwove all up his back, an unforgiving patchwork of uncommitted sins punished in the heat of a drunken stupor. He had often joked that he was a blind man’s map, but when surrounded by the stench of disgusted Alphas, all Tony could do was hold Peter as close as he could. Spotting the bundle, one of the Alphas began to yell and all the lesser Alphas unsheathed their swords, but Thor was quick to intervene, barking back at them and shielding Tony with his body.

“They want to see what you’re holding, to make sure it is nothing dangerous,” Thor explained quietly, gently touching Tony’s upper arm, “Please, show them.”

It was his last card to play. Tony swallowed nervously and turned around, only to take a startled breath, as the Prime stood just a few inches from him, towering over them. Shaking, Tony lowered Peter into his arms and removed his swaddling, cradling the nude babe in his arms. The Prime’s eyes grew large as he looked between the baby and Tony, clearly staring at their unclaimed markings. Peter looked up at the Prime and reached up a chubby arm, whimpering when nothing was given to him to hold onto. Tony immediately shifted him to one arm so he could let Peter hold onto his finger, but the baby was already upset, and he began to cry.

“Now, Peter, this is not the time to be fussy,” Tony murmured, nearly crying from the overwhelming amount of fear coursing through his veins, “Easy now, little one.”

He moved Peter up to his chest for skin-to-skin contact, knowing that his own pheromones were souring the room, as some of the lesser Alphas had wrinkled their noses or turned away. The Prime stared at them for a few minutes, then he beckoned to Thor and began to talk rapidly, fast enough that the man could not translate in real time. One of the other Alphas in the room began to giggle but was quickly silenced with an elbow to the gut. Tony felt a bit comforted by that, stooping down to pick up his clothes and slip them back on, all while still juggling his baby. Just as he was straightening himself out, Thor turned to him, conflicting emotions betrayed in his face.

“The Prime has agreed to grant you refuge,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back, “But he has laid out a…condition. Of sorts.”

“A condition? What cou—”

Tony glanced at his family crest still held by the second-in-command Alpha, swallowing nervously.

“I do not have money,” he explained frantically, clutching Peter a little tighter, “I cannot return to get any, nor can I send a letter. I do not—”

“He does not want money, Tony. Rather, he wants _you_,” Thor said quietly, “He would like to take care of you, himself. You are unclaimed, and he has been searching for a worthy mate. You would not have to bond right away, but he would like you to stay in his quarters, where he can woo you and bed you.”

Tony blinked and stuttered for a moment, but once Peter shifted against his chest, he knew he had no choice. If he had to choose to save himself or Peter, he would choose Peter every time.

“Yes,” he said, flicking worried eyes over to the Prime, “Yes, I’ll—I’ll become his Omega. _Anything_.”

Thor hesitated, but after the Prime clapped a hand to his shoulder, he quietly gave Tony’s answer. The man immediately brightened, turning his smile to Tony. Gently, he reached out to cup Tony’s face in his large hand, threading his fingers into Tony’s hair. Stunned, Tony could only blink back, feeling his skin prickle under the man’s well-calloused hand. He was overwhelmed; Peter was fussing again, his world was turned upside down in only a few turns of the sun, and all he could think of was how he had missed his chance to give his mother a hug before he left. With all of the Alphas staring at him, he began to cry, which quickly turned into deep, mournful sobs that wracked his thin body. Another hand found its way to his shoulder, giving him a second anchor to focus on. He tried to blink the tears away, distantly aware that Thor was telling him what was happening, but he could only think about Peter, trying to calm himself down so his scent would not set off the infant.

“Friend, do not be afraid. The Prime—he will take good care of you,” Thor said, moving into his blurry vision and smiling when Tony finally looked back at him, “You are quite safe here. I will not let him harm you, if that is what bothers you so.”

Tony sniffled and shook his head, attempting to convey that he was not worried about safety any longer, but the Prime seemed to understand and moved his hand to Tony’s shoulder to squeeze before dropping altogether. He peered at Tony’s face, and once he managed to collect himself and shift the baby to his other shoulder, the Prime nodded, beckoning to him.

“Go on. I will retrieve your things and bring them to his—your—quarters,” Thor encouraged, patting Tony’s shoulder, “We will speak soon, and I will introduce you to our gang of merry fellows, yes? I’m sure you will like our physician; he originally hails from one of the Southern cities as well.”

He blinked and nodded, trying to process all that was going on, but his head was fogged and heavy. Thor gave him a smile and gently nudged him toward the Prime, signaling to him to go. Obedient, Tony padded behind the Prime as they exited the throne room, keeping his head up to begin cataloging the layout of the castle. They only walked to the first wooden door, which the Prime opened for him, gesturing for Tony to walk in first. Tony stopped and looked at him; it was odd, to allow the Omega to walk into a room before the Alpha, but in the grand scheme of how the day was going, he decided to let it be and walked in. For the umpteenth time, his mouth fell open, unable to convey his awe at the grandeur of the room.

A four-poster bed with sheer curtains was pushed against the far wall, large enough to hold at least three full-grown men. It was dressed in blue linens, draped with various exotic furs from animals that he was sure the Prime had killed himself. A drafting desk sat on the opposite wall, covered in parchment and books, clearly left as though the man was in the middle of a draft when he had been called to the throne room. It looked intimidating, but the Prime only smiled at him, sweeping his hand toward a wooden door on the other side of the room. He jogged over to open it for Tony, ushering him and Peter into a large bathroom.

“Oh,” Tony said weakly, wondering if his legs were going to give out from underneath of him.

An enormous washing tub took up the middle of the room, sized like it belonged in a bathhouse rather than in one’s home. The faucet over it suggested running water, which surprised Tony the most out of everything that he had seen so far. He had never thought of the Warlords as having a technologically advanced society like his own, but here he was, watching the Prime fill up the large tub with steaming water.

“Make the water colder,” he found himself saying, accidentally startling the man.

The Prime blinked at Tony, then laughed, pearly white teeth shining in a smile. He waved his hands between them and shook his head, then pointed at Tony and at the tub.

_Oh. He does not understand, so I should do it._

Balancing Peter on his chest, Tony went over and put his fingertips under the running stream. He flinched at the heat and turned the other tap until the water began to cool to slightly above lukewarm. Looking up at the Prime, he nodded and stepped back. The man put his own hand under the water and grunted, but Tony could not tell if it was a positive or a negative response. Once the tub was a few inches full, Tony reached over and shut the water off, pretending as though the Prime was not staring, watching his every move. Theoretically, he could do without a bath for a while, but Peter needed to be cleaned, and he was willing to sacrifice a bit of dignity if it meant the baby was happy. He sighed and carefully began to undress, juggling Peter around like a hot plate as he stripped down to his underwear.

“You ready, my love?” he murmured to Peter, carefully stepping into the bathtub.

Slowly, he lowered them both into the water, unable to help a small moan as the warm water engulfed his sore muscles. Peter seemed to agree and stretched out his arms, curling up to Tony’s chest and lightly grasping at his chest hair. Unbothered, Tony carefully cupped up water and started to wash the baby, pleased that he was not making a fuss. After a moment, the Prime cleared his throat and startled him, making Tony swear and sigh, fluttering his eyes over to the man.

“You scared me,” he said, fully aware he could not understand him.

The Prime tilted his head and pressed an object into Tony’s hand, then pointed at Peter. Tony ran his thumb over the square, nodding when bubbles formed.

_Soap._

“Thank you,” he said, trusting that it would be safe for Peter.

“Thank…you.”

Tony swore again and dropped the soap into the water, freezing when the Prime quietly reached in to retrieve it, then handed it back to him. Stunned, he watched the man for a second and noticed the tension in his shoulders as he knelt next to the tub. He quickly realized that the Prime was just as awkward about the situation as he was.

“Tony, Peter,” he said, pointing to himself and then the baby. Then, he pointed at the man.

_Do you have a name? Or am I supposed to call you the Prime? Alpha?_

“Se’even,” the Prime answered, beaming when he understood, “_Se’eve_.”

He patted his chest, accidentally smearing his warpaint with his wet hand.

“Se’eve,” Tony repeated awkwardly, letting the name roll on his tongue, “Steve?”

Steve nodded and patted his chest again, finally noticing that he had ruined his paint. He grunted and stood, waving at Tony to move back. He slowly inched back in the tub, only to suck in a breath when Steve stripped off his boots and skirt and climbed in. Tony pointedly looked away and handed the soap over when it was requested, busying himself with balancing Peter on his chest so he could have both hands free to wash himself down. All he wanted to do was get out of the water and get changed into a more protective barrier of clothing, but once he stood to get out, Steve waved at him and held both hands out, then stood up himself. Tony tucked Peter’s head into his chest and dared to take a quick glance. He could not deny the rush of arousal he felt when looking at Steve; without the warpaint to distract his eyes, the curves and sharp lines of his body stood out on pale skin, giving way to the rippling muscle underneath. His eyes began to drift lower before he caught himself and looked away. The man was, supposedly, going to become his Alpha, so he was curious as to what he was going to have to…_accommodate_. However, Peter was present, and that meant he was more concerned with the baby than his own perverted curiosity.

“Tony,” Steve said, drawing his attention.

The Alpha had redressed in his garb and held out a large cloth in his arms, motioning toward Peter. He took a step forward, but Tony immediately backed up, staring him down until Steve got the idea. He nodded and handed the cloth over, allowing Tony to nervously snatch it away and bundle the baby up. Only once was Peter swaddled did he get out of the bath, careful of his steps out of the slippery tub. Steve stood there and watched, then offered up another cloth for him to dry down with. 

Now came the dilemma: in order to dry himself, he needed to put Peter down, but there was no place in the bathroom where he would be safe while Tony dried and dressed. He could move to the bedroom, but that meant moving past Steve, and he was still unsure as to his boundaries in the unfamiliar environment. Steve noticed his hesitation and tilted his head, looking between Tony and Peter.

_If he is to be my Alpha, he will end up becoming Peter’s Alpha as well. I do not like the idea of handing him over, but…I have to learn to trust him._

“Stay still,” Tony ordered, knowing the words were useless.

Carefully, he motioned to Steve with Peter, and after a moment of mutual understanding, he slowly transferred the baby to Steve’s arms, positioning his head just right. Tony put out both his hands, making sure Steve was watching him.

_Stay_.

Without taking his eyes off of Steve, Tony dried himself off and tied the cloth around his waist, allowing him to secretly peel off his now-ruined undergarment and toss it into the pile of his filthy clothes. As soon as he was done, he took Peter back from Steve, checking the baby over just to make sure he was still okay. The baby merely snuggled into Tony’s chest and settled, giving him some comfort.

“Clothes?” Tony asked, then sighed and shook his head, reminding himself about the language barrier.

He pointed at his clothes on the floor, then pointed to himself and Peter and waved his hand at Steve. Steve furrowed his brow and put his hands on his hips, staring at them for a second before the light visibly turned on and he nodded, ushering them into the bedroom. He headed to his closet and rifled around for a moment, then pulled out a few articles and set them on his bed. With Tony’s attention on him, he held out his hands, then turned and left the room.

“Looks like we have to wait, love,” Tony murmured to Peter, gently swaying in place to try and keep the baby entertained, “Maybe he’ll bring you back your own furs, hm? Something nice and warm?”

By the time Steve returned with his arms laden with clothing, Tony had gingerly sat down on the bed, trying to rest his aching feet. He leaped up as soon as Steve walked in, but the man snorted and rolled his eyes, gesturing at him to sit back down. Slowly, Tony sat, watching as Steve dumped the clothes on the bed and began to rifle through them. He found what he was looking for near the bottom of the pile and held it up for Tony to judge. It was a light pink infant gown with an embroidered hem and matching undergarments; Tony could not hold in his sharp breath, eyes going wide at the gesture. He carefully reached out and took the offering from Steve, swearing that his skin tingled when he brushed up against Steve’s hand.

“Thank you,” he whispered, laying the dress down on the bed and running his fingertips over the soft fabric.

“Thank you,” Steve repeated, clearly pleased that Tony had taken the clothing.

Slowly, Tony laid Peter down on the bed and unbundled him, unable to help tickling the babe’s stomach before wriggling him into the undergarment and dress. Before he could stop him, Peter had grabbed up the hem and stuffed it into his mouth, giggling and kicking his legs as he looked up at Tony.

“Beautiful, love,” he whispered, bending down to kiss the baby’s forehead, “Be good, yeah? We need to take care of your nice things now.”

“Tony,” Steve said, interrupting the moment.

He held out clothing for him to change into, then beamed and picked up the top two articles and handed it over first. Confused, Tony took it, and upon realizing what they were, flushed a dark scarlet. The first was clearly underwear, but the bottom portion that sat between his legs was thicker, filled with padding for Omega slick. The second was a nursing undergarment, meant to support breasts that were filled with milk for their offspring. Tony shook his head and handed it back over, sheepishly keeping the underwear clutched in his hand.

“I do not know how to explain, but I am not his mother,” Tony tried, putting on the underwear up under his drying cloth and letting the cloth finally drop to the floor, “I will have Thor explain sometime.”

At the name, Steve perked up and nodded, jogging over to the door to yell down the hallway. Tony sighed and dressed in the other clothing provided, only to marvel at how soft the fabric was. The bottom piece was a pair of flowy pants that had a tie to cinch it at the waist and the top was a loose shirt that would have swamped him, had it not been cut short. He had a hard time coming up with a reason to want to ask for something else, but when he picked up Peter and shifted his legs, he blushed again and considered asking Thor if the padded underwear was normal for all Omegas.

As if summoned, the linguist knocked and strode into the room with Steve on his heels, talking animatedly to him in their native tongue. He had Tony’s things with him and he placed them by the door, clearly trying to calm the Prime. Steve seemed distressed, or at the least, extremely confused, but Thor patted his shoulder and waved him off to his drafting desk before approaching Tony.

“I trust the Prime has taken care of you both well so far?” he asked, smiling at Peter when the baby peeked out from Tony to look at him, “He is…concerned that he has not been treating you properly in the way you need. Is there something you need from him? It will be easiest for me to tell him in his language.”

“Oh, oh no, he—everything has been fine,” Tony stammered, an awkward giggle bubbling up in his throat, “I am merely becoming acclimated to this new life. I do not know of customs or how _I_ should be behaving, that is all. I do not want to offend him, nor anger him—”

“Fear not, friend. Our Prime is quite kind and does not expect any sort of customary proceedings from you,” Thor said as he nodded in understanding, “The Southern cities are well known for their harsh customs, yes? Especially of royal Omegas. We have no such customs here. You have the same freedoms as everyone else in the castle. Though, when the time comes, you may be asked to mother the Prime’s child, but that would be long down the road. Other than that, you are as free as you—Tony?”

Tony shakily sat down on the bed, semi-aware of Thor’s hand attempting to steady his shoulder. He had _just_ fathered a child, and now he would have to have another, by his own body? The thought brought harsh tears to his eyes, so he tucked his head down into Peter’s shoulder and took calming breaths, soaking in the baby’s pleasant scent.

“I apologize, I did not mean—” Thor broke off and started to argue in the Northern tongue, presumably talking to Steve before returning to the Southern dialect, “—I apologize. He is most worried about you, friend. I did not mean to scare you with such talk. It is not a worry for many, many moons. Your own babe will be in stockings by that time, and perhaps you and the Prime will have already had a second of your own choosing. I know that the world around you has shifted in a way you could have never predicted, but fear not, for our Prime would not force you into conceiving if you do not want to. He is a good man, Tony.”

The hand from his shoulder fell away and was replaced with two fingers under his chin, gently teasing him out from the safety of Peter. He blinked away tears to look up into Steve’s gentle eyes; his brow was furrowed in concern, but he still smiled, moving to cup Tony’s cheek with his hand. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead against Tony’s and breathed out deeply, then breathed in just as deep, repeating the pattern. Tony let his eyes flutter shut as he copied Steve, already starting to feel better from the gentle touch. Once he had calmed enough that his scent began to sweeten once more—something he did not notice until Steve’s shoulders relaxed—Steve pulled away, slipping his hand from Tony’s cheek up into his hair.

“Are you better, friend?” Thor asked nervously, breaking the silence, “I did not mean to sour you, I swear.”

“It is alright, Thor. I am merely weary from my travels and inner thoughts chasing me,” Tony said, opening his eyes to look past Steve and smile tiredly at the man, “Being strong for the babe leads to momentary breaks, that is all.”

“I hope that in your stay here, you will not have to gather such strength by yourself again. You now have a whole community to help you, Tony. We will all do our best to make you feel welcome and at home. You are a part of our family now—you _and_ Peter. We will take care of you, however you need it.”

He knew Steve could not have understood what Thor had said, but he nodded anyway, gently tugging on Tony’s hair. Tony melted under the gesture, subconsciously tilting his head back into Steve’s palm. The comforting, possessive touch of an Alpha usually rendered any Omega a puddle of feelings and slick, but his body took the affection as a steadying gesture, easing his nerves and giving him the strength to stand up from the bed. As he did, the nursing bra he had rejected fell to the floor; Steve bent down to pick it up and offered it to Thor, talking rapidly while motioning to Tony and Peter.

“He says the nursing garment is the reason why he called for me—you handed it back to him and all he understood from your speech was my name,” Thor explained, raising an eyebrow at Steve’s wild gestures, “He wishes to know why you will not accept it.”

“I am a male Omega father. I did not birth my son,” Tony explained easily, “I will not produce milk for him, so there is no reason for me to wear it.”

Thor’s brows scrunched and he quickly said something to Steve, who turned and gave Tony an equally quizzical look.

“What? Is something wrong?” Tony asked, “I—I am his _father_.”

“Tony, all Omegas produce milk for their offspring, regardless of being the life giver or birther,” Thor said patiently, “Has your chest not felt sore or thick? Peter has been born, so you should have been producing by now—perhaps it will begin in a few days’ time? Stress can prevent Omegas from producing...fluids.”

Tony slowly looked down at Peter, watching him lightly snooze against his chest. Silently, he sat back down, ignoring Steve’s hand that settled on his head. He reached up to wipe his thumb over the babe’s cheek, smiling when he finally saw that baby’s brown eyes. A sob knotted itself in Tony’s throat, threatening to spill out if he tried to talk. Instead, he hitched the baby up and pressed butterfly kisses all over his face, careful to steady the babe’s head and neck to support him.

“I do not know if I would be comfortable with you _attached_ to me, little one,” He murmured once he was calm, “I think I’ll keep you on goat’s milk for now, love.”

He looked up at Thor and tilted his head at Steve, nodding to insinuate that he should translate. Thor barely had the sentence out when Steve made a choked noise; Tony stiffed and schooled his face, keeping his eyes on Peter so he would not have to see the disappointment on his new Alpha’s face.

“Ah, perhaps we should bring in your bedding,” Thor said to fill the silence, “I am sure you are exhausted from your journey?”

The sentence was translated, then the two men quietly left the room, leaving Tony alone with Peter. Carefully, he stood and held the baby up against his chest, turning around to push the clothes off of the bed and onto the floor. He lowered himself onto one side, letting out a soft sigh as he settled down on the unfairly comfortable bed, adjusting Peter so he was laid stomach-down on Tony’s chest. He knew he should wait for the others to return so he could crawl into his own bed, but the day had exhausted him to the point that all he had to do was let his eyes rest for a second or two and he fell asleep.

When he woke up, night had fallen, and the room’s candles had been lit, bathing the room in a gentle glow. His eyes adjusted, and he peered down at Peter, somehow still nestled on his chest. The babe was awake and fisting at his shirt, gently chewing on the fabric until Tony teased it out of his mouth.

“Good evening, my love,” Tony breathed, yawning and moving to sit up and cradle the baby in his arms, “We should find you some food—I have ruined your night’s sleep, have I not? Ah, well. Perhaps after a full meal you will be willing to go back to sleep.”

He tried to stand up but almost tripped over something on the floor, cursing and curling himself over Peter as said thing moved. Steve groaned and stood up from where he had been sleeping, rubbing his head where Tony’s foot had connected with him.

“Oh gods, what were you doing on the _floor?_” Tony exclaimed, sighing out in relief when he recognized the man, “Steve, I was on _your _bed. You could have woken me up and asked me to move.”

“Tony!” Steve breathed happily, grinning at the mention of his name, “Tony, thank you.”

Tony barely held back his eye roll. He pointed at Steve, then at the bed, reaching out to gently touch his arm to try and guide him. Surprisingly, the Alpha went and laid down, turning to his side so he could look up at Tony. After a second, Steve scooted back and patted the bed, looking confused that Tony had not moved with him.

“No, no I did not mean—ugh, I need to learn your language as soon as I can,” He grumbled, shaking his head at Steve, “It is _your_ bed. Bed, Steve.”

“Bed?” Steve repeated, the word sounding odd coming from the man.

“Bed.”

Tony patted the object, seeing the recognition go across Steve’s eyes.

“_Bed_,” Steve said, patting next to him again, “Tony bed?”

“No, no Tony bed,” Tony said, shaking his head.

He could not help but laugh at Steve’s confusion, his first real laugh in days.

“I apologize. The—the not being able to understand each other is going to be amusing and quite frustrating,” he breathed, “I can already tell.”

Of course, Steve merely smiled, patting the bed once more. Tony reached out and carefully laid a hand on his, shaking his head slowly. He pointed to Peter and himself, then rubbed his own stomach and gestured to the door. Thankfully, some things were universal, and it was easy to tell that they wanted food, especially when Tony’s stomach rumbled. He could not help his flush of embarrassment, which darkened when Steve stood and fondly cupped his cheek. The Alpha patted him lightly and then turned to leave with Tony on his heel; together, they walked deeper into the bowels of the castle, eventually turning down into a large dining room, filled with rows of large, long oak tables. Steve guided him toward the head of one of the furthest tables, pulling out the chair and gesturing for Tony to sit. Bewildered once again by the mannerisms, Tony awkwardly nodded and sat, letting Steve push him in.

“Thank you,” he said, looking up at the Alpha.

“Thank you, Tony,” Steve repeated with a smile, showing his hands again then jogging off toward what Tony assumed was the kitchen.

“Perhaps life here will not be that bad, little one,” he said to Peter once Steve was out of earshot, moving the babe around to rest in the crook of his left arm to get him ready to be fed, “Things seem to be going well so far. He…he is kind, yes? I would sour around him if he was not that way…or at least, you would fuss, because you are so sensitive to these types of things.”

Peter blinked up at him and began to gum his fingers, so Tony hushed him and gently pulled the digits away, only to have the baby screw up his face and cry. No doubt the hunger he felt exasperated his fussiness, and his cry soon turned into a full-blown wail with large tears rolling down his cheeks to soak the top of his dress. Tony tried to console him, bounce him, cuddle him, whatever he could think of, but to no avail—thankfully, Steve soon returned with a wineskin in his hand, looking concerned. He handed over the wineskin to Tony once he had rejoined them, watching as Tony took a sip of the milk first to make sure it was safe. Satisfied, Tony tipped the wineskin down and shushed Peter, sighing in relief when the babe began to drink and settle.

“Peter, thank you?” Steve asked, leaning over to look at the baby, “Peter, Tony?”

“He will be alright after he finishes eating,” Tony explained, smiling at his genuine concern, “He needs time and patience, is all. Perhaps I will show you how to feed him one day, yes?”

“…Yes?” Steve repeated, pursing his lips then nodding, “Yes, Peter.”

Tony nodded and relaxed back into his chair, concentrating on making sure Peter drank at least half of the wineskin before handing it back over to Steve. He shushed the babe and hefted him up onto his shoulder, carefully patting his back to prevent bubbles from sticking in his stomach. Steve looked at him quizzically, but he did not say anything; instead, he stood and left with the wineskin, only to return with a plate brimming with food. He set it in front of Tony, who could not help but stare at the feast. Sure, he might have been used to larger portions, but this was an _immense_ amount of food. Perhaps calling it a plate was not descriptive enough: “platter” might convey a better sense of the size, or even “trough.” Either way, Tony had to forcibly keep his mouth closed to keep from drooling onto himself. He went first for the section of fruit, picking up various cuts of melon and berries to eat. Moving clockwise, he easily polished off each section until he ended up at the meat.

“Tony?” Steve asked, noticing his hesitation.

“Full,” Tony said, pushing the plate over to Steve, “You eat the rest. I do not think I could eat another bite, lest I risk ripping my new clothes.”

Steve tilted his head and frowned, then slowly pushed the plate back, saying a few words himself.

“No, _you_,” Tony said, using one finger to inch the plate back again, “_You_ eat it.”

Of course, Steve pushed the plate back and talked, motioning to Peter and then to Tony. Seeing that he was not understanding, Tony frowned, trying to think up a way to communicate. After a moment, he picked up one of the pieces of meat, holding it out to Steve. The Alpha looked at the offering and then at Tony, and after Tony opened his mouth a little, Steve got the hint and carefully wrapped his lips around Tony’s fingers, pulling back to chew and swallow.

“Yes,” Tony praised, using a word he knew Steve would somewhat understand, “Thank you, Steve.”

He could not help but smile at Steve’s beaming grin, picking up another piece of meat to feed him. Together, they went through the rest of the plate, leaving Tony feeling warm and dizzy from Steve’s tongue gently cleaning his fingers. The moment was broken by Peter whimpering on his shoulder, using his little feet to kick at Tony’s stomach to convey his displeasure. Tony laughed softly and carefully moved the baby back down to nestle in his arms, brushing his nose over Peter’s face to try and calm him down.

“Do not worry, my love. I did not forget about you,” he murmured, wiping away the baby’s fussy tears, “Let us see: you have been bathed, napped, fed…is it attention you desire, darling?”

Peter flailed and grabbed onto Tony’s hand, tiny fingers wrapping around one of his own. Tony cooed and gently stroked Peter’s hands with his thumb, unable to help his smile at the baby’s antics. He looked up to ask Steve to fetch Thor, but he paused, catching the man’s fond gaze. With his cheek propped up on his fist, he looked absolutely smitten with them, only to catch himself and straighten up when Tony caught his eye.

“Thor?” Tony asked, praying to anyone who was listening that he was not blushing.

Steve nodded jerkily and stood from the table, snatching up the empty plate to take with him. Once he was out of earshot and in the kitchen, Tony looked back down at Peter and pressed a kiss to the babe’s forehead, nuzzling his hairline.

“I think the Prime is taken with us,” he whispered, giggling when the babe grasped at his facial hair, “Do not worry, my love. You will always come first, even if the big Prime takes me for himself.”

As soon as it left his mouth, Tony stopped, fear gripping him once again. He was more than thankful for Steve’s hospitality and willingness to protect them, but at what cost? The thought of being bound to an Alpha in eternal submission made him sick, and to have a child of his own womb was so distressing that he banished the train of thought for fear of heaving up his dinner. As the fates would have it, Steve and Thor returned at that moment, the former immediately noticing that something was wrong. He spoke to Thor, then placed a hand on Tony’s forehead and peered into his eyes.

“Friend, are you unwell? Did our cuisine not settle with you? The Prime thinks you look pale,” Thor asked, clearly worried.

“I am well, Thor. Perhaps I ate too much too fast,” Tony lied, hiding his gaze from Steve, “Is—Is there a bed and a crib where Peter and I could lie down?”

“We finished outfitting the Prime’s room for you,” Thor explained with a smile, stepping back to allow Steve to help Tony up, “I hope it is too your liking—if you need anything else, I will do my best to have it arranged and brought to you.”

“Thank you, Thor,” Tony said softly.

His heart felt tight, full of unresolved conflict that he was unsure of how to begin to untangle. This new life was already suspiciously comfortable, especially with the terrifying conditions that he had to agree to: becoming a Warlord’s wife, a mother, and whatever else Steve desired of him. Would he become nothing more than a trophy of the conquered, or would he become a bargaining chip against his own people? A shiver ran down his spine at the thought, and before he could pull himself together, he must have begun to scent differently, as Steve stopped them in the hallway and bent down to sniff his neck. Tony yelped and skittered a bit, clutching Peter close and staring back at the Alpha who was clearly as surprised as he was. Steve began to speak to Thor and waved his hands around, gesturing between them.

“He wishes to know if you are afraid of him, Tony,” Thor translated quietly, “We can smell your fear, friend.”

“Of course? How could I not be?” Tony said, the words tumbling out before he could stop himself, “He is an _Alpha_, let alone a _Prime_. Alphas are not kind to Omegas and are _especially_ unkind to male ones. He takes me for a trophy to wed and bed—and what is to become of my boy? Of _course_ I am terrified. Any reasonable person would be.”

Thor blinked and hurt flashed across his face for a moment, but it quickly settled into a neutral look as he translated to Steve. Tony did not want to watch, to see the anger and disappointment on that handsome face, but he forced himself to meet Steve’s eyes, holding his ground. Steve only raised an eyebrow at him, then turned to Thor, speaking again for quite a time.

“What did he say,” Tony snapped, his heart pounding in his chest at the pity that spread across Thor’s face.

“He—He said that you must truly be a broken soul, to mistake kindness for unkindness,” He said sadly, “He says he intends to show you a whole life, one where you are not afraid anymore. He cannot understand your reasoning, but he can understand your spirit and your need to protect yourself and your child. He wants to see you happy, friend. And he believes that you and Peter will be happy with him.”

Steve jutted his chin out at them, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at them with the kind of determination that made his spine tingle. Tony stared back at Steve, and then he stared some more, only to turn on his heel and march down to the door that he had remembered led to Steve’s—and now his—quarters. He did not bother to close the door behind him and barely took in the additions to the room, choosing to instead plop himself down on the newly added single bed. After arranging Peter on his chest and pulling up blankets and furs over them both, he stared at the ceiling, trying to sort out what had just happened in his head.

No sooner had he settled did Steve and Thor’s faces appear above him, but he refused to acknowledge them. Rather, he rubbed smooth circles on Peter’s back, hoping that the babe would fall asleep and force the others to be quiet, so they would not disturb him. Steve began to talk, and after retreating footsteps, the door closed. Tony assumed it was just the three of them, but he still would not look at Steve, choosing to stare at a spot on the ceiling. Steve spoke again; despite not knowing what the words meant, Tony could hear the disappointment in his voice, curdling his insides as he realized that Steve could easily kill them and bury them without the others knowing—or caring, for that matter.

The end of the bed sunk down and he tensed, waiting for the blows to start. First, the furs on his feet were shuffled up, then a warm hand carefully closed around his ankle, steadying without being too tight. The hand slid down and cupped the side of his foot, and before Tony could wonder if Steve was going to attempt to literally tear him in half, a second hand cupped the other side of his foot and two thumbs pressed into the skin, slowly contra-rotating.

_A massage—?_

A soft moan slipped out, startling Tony and jolting his foot in Steve’s hands. Steve did not let go, instead applying more pressure and moving down the arch to his heel, tugging on Tony a bit to pull his foot into his lap. Looking down at Steve in disbelief, the Alpha merely batted his eyes back, features innocent.

“Can you not let me sulk for five minutes?” Tony grumbled quietly, not wanting to disturb Peter.

Steve tilted his head and looked confused, but Tony knew better than to try and play the man’s games; he settled back down on the bed and readjusted Peter, determined to not slip up again and give the other the benefit of his noises. Peter nestled up into the crook of his neck and huffed, a sure sign that the babe was tired after his meal and was close to falling asleep. He was starting to feel the effects of the meal himself, and he let his eyes drift shut, but that made him concentrate on the warmth spreading over the sole of his foot, gently loosening up the tense muscle.

_I’ll let him have this one victory_, he decided, too exhausted to even pull his foot away.

With his eyes closed, he could focus on Steve’s hands working his foot until his other was pulled into place and given the same attention. He had never had a real massage before, and to have Steve’s pleasantly calloused hands working the last week’s aches and pains out pulled another moan from him. Distantly, he yelled at himself for letting one man’s hands reduce him to goo, but it had been far too long since he had let go and enjoyed his biology. An Omega’s body relaxed completely when in a tender Alpha’s hands, and despite his conflicting emotions, Tony’s body seemed to be okay with Steve’s touch. It did not take long for his thoughts to fuzz and his mouth to open slightly, whistling softly as he slept on.

Noticing that his charge had finally fallen asleep, Steve carefully replaced the furs over Tony’s feet and stood, attempting to be as quiet as possible so Peter would not awaken them both. He shuffled up to the head of the bed and smiled down at the two newest members of his family, leaning down to brush his nose against Tony’s before changing himself into sleeping clothes, keeping an eye on the bed the whole time. Content that neither of them would awaken, Steve blew out the candles in the room, drenching the room in darkness. He crawled into his bed, pulled the furs that Tony had slept in earlier up to his chest, and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony falls ill and forces Steve to come to an understanding about Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by @lylilunapotter.
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!! 
> 
> Ask me questions over @avengersasssemble on tumblr.com.

When Tony woke up, he knew something was wrong. The room was hot and sticky, much like a humid summer morning, except he knew it was the middle of autumn and long past when these mornings came through. He groaned and tried to move, only to realize that the familiar weight that had been sleeping on his chest for the past week was gone. Scared, he sat straight up and heaved, clapping a hand over his mouth on instinct. After a moment, he spotted the babe: Peter was above the head of his bed in a crib, sound asleep. He had a thought about Steve moving _his_ baby without permission, but his stomach lurched again and he attempted to get out of bed, only to tangle himself in the bed furs and fall not-so-gracefully onto the floor. Groaning softly, Tony decided that the cold floor was nice until he realized the noise had woken the babe up. Peter’s whimpers turned into a full-blown wail, forcing him to attempt to get up.

“M’comin’,” he tried to say, but his throat was swollen and rough, causing him to cough as he stumbled over to the crib.

At least, he tried to get there. His legs gave out before he could take a step, too weak and achy to support his sudden movements. He fell to his knees with a large _crack_ and cried out in pain, tears springing to his eyes.

“Tony?”

Tony waved a hand in the direction of the gruff voice, trying his best to ward Steve off. He was fine, thank you very much, he could get up and take care of his baby all by himself. Slowly, he tried to get up again and promptly ignored the throbbing in his knees, his chest, and behind his eyes. He shuffled over to the crib one step at a time, making sure he was properly balanced before hefting Peter up.

“Shhh, my love, I am here,” he whispered, finding that it was easier to talk that way, “You must be ready for a change and something to eat—”

Tony felt the dizzy spell coming on and quickly put Peter back down, barely managing to get the infant settled when it hit him full force and he collapsed onto his bed, groaning as black spots fuzzed his vision. He heard a rustling and loud thumps, then felt someone touching him, gently shaking his arm.

“Steve,” he tried to say, but his voice failed him.

“Tony?...Tony!”

He nodded and let his head loll back, momentarily wondering if Steve could open a window to let the draft in; after a second, the hand left his arm and he was scooped up, tucked back into the hot bed and propped up on more pillows that seemed to appear out of the air.

“Hot,” he whispered, “Thor, help—”

“Tony,” Steve’s voice said.

Tony let out a whine and blinked the dots away, letting out a sigh of relief when he could see again. Steve towered over him, his hair unbraided and falling over his face as he looked down at him, clearly worried. Tony reached back up for Peter, which Steve immediately understood. He carefully got the infant out of the crib—a little too well, Tony managed to note—and handed the babe to Tony, making sure they were tucked in well.

“Tony, Peter,” Steve said firmly.

He motioned at them to stay then bolted from the room. Tony could only roll his head over to look down at his baby, attempting to rock him to still his tears.

“Shhh, love,” he tried, rasping each word, “Steve will help, I promise—”

He turned his head to cough loudly, his entire body wracking with the force. After a moment, he slumped back and sucked in a deep breath, just as Steve ran back in with Thor and a new man in tow.

“Friend, you look most ill,” Thor said, frowning when the new man laughed next to him, “What?”

“Astute observation, Thor,” he said, his voice removed of any of the Northern accent, “I am Doctor Banner, Tony. You can call me Bruce, if you would like. I am the resident physician—the Prime informed us that you fell out of bed and are having trouble speaking?”

“Weak,” Tony whispered, “Achy. Hot. Vomit. Winter’s warmth.”

“Winter’s warmth? What is that?” Thor asked, grunting when Bruce shoved him aside to be able to get close enough to Tony to feel his forehead.

“It is what the Southern people call influenza. He most likely contracted it being out in the rains these past few days. Now that he has rested, his body senses safety and is letting itself fight the sickness at full strength,” Bruce explained, peering down at Peter, “Tony, I would like to look at your baby, if that is okay? If he is sick as well, I need to know. Can I take a look?”

Tony blinked slowly and nodded, shifting his arms as best as he could to give Bruce access. The doctor wasted no time in poking and prodding the babe, nodding when he finished.

“I do not think he is ill—if he is, he is most certainly not feeling as awful as you,” he decided, “I think it would be best for Peter to stay close to you. Omegas heal faster when they have their infants nearby—there is a whole study of pheromonic healing, if you would like to hear it when you are well. In the meantime, since you are too ill to be out of bed, someone has to take care of Peter’s needs. Would you like me to show the Prime what he is to do while you rest?”

Bruce talked like he breathed torrential winds, which of course flew right over Tony’s sick-addled brain. All he could do was nod, weakly letting Bruce heft Peter up out of his arms. He thought that the babe might begin to cry again, but after a moment in the doctor’s arms, Peter settled, which soothed his worry.

“Thank you,” he whispered, reaching out a shaky hand.

“Tony, yes,” Steve murmured, immediately taking his hand into both of his own.

He could not help his soft whimper when Steve pulled away to listen to Bruce, hand lingering in the air for a moment. Later, he would wonder how he had become so attached to the man already, but for now, he was just thankful he had some sort of help. He wanted to watch Bruce to make sure he was careful, but Thor stepped into his line of vision and bent down to smile at him.

“I shall fetch you something to drink. Doctor Banner has enlisted my help often to watch over his patients,” he said, carefully tucking the bed furs around Tony.

Tony nodded and craned his neck to look around him, relaxing once Thor had moved. He watched Bruce and Steve with as much concentration as he could muster up, trying to focus on what Bruce was showing Steve. He figured he was demonstrating how to hold the baby, but then Bruce pointed toward the bathroom and they began to move. Tony tried to protest, making a distressed noise and shifting in the bed to get their attention.

“Do not fret. Peter needs to be changed,” Bruce explained, noticing his discomfort, “Is it okay if I show the Prime how to?”

He blinked, taking a second to digest the information; he beckoned them over, shakily reaching up to take Peter from Steve’s arms. The babe babbled up at him, no doubt confused from the passing around.

“Shh, love,” Tony whispered, hefting Pete up to rest against his chest, “Let me see, small one.”

He was not sure how he felt about two still strange men looking at his baby in such a private manner. However, after lifting up Peter’s gown and checking the undergarment, he almost too willingly handed the babe back to Steve with a nod.

“Thank you, Tony,” Bruce said, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder, “I know that it is not easy to surrender such things, especially when they are so young. We will be fast and soon he will be back in your arms to feed.”

Tony stilled, but neither man seemed to notice, skirting off into the bathroom and leaving him to cough to himself. He groaned and attempted to pull the furs up to his neck, squirming around in his makeshift nest to try and get comfortable. Heat swept over his body and flushed his skin, easily causing him to sweat up his brand-new clothing. With great difficulty he peeled himself out of his clothes and dropped them over the side of the bed, leaving only his padded undergarment to maintain some sort of modesty. Once he was settled back down, the bathroom door creaked, and the men reemerged with Peter whimpering between them. His instincts kicked in and he reached out to take the babe from them, tamping down his own grunt of discomfort at moving too fast.

“We cleaned him up, so he may be fussy,” Bruce explained, an oddly wistful smile on his face, “After a meal, he should settle—are you feeling warm?”

Tony tried to bat away Bruce’s hand, but with Peter settling on his chest, he had to let the man check him over again. He glanced over at Steve with the largest pleading eyes he could manage, swallowing his smirk when the Alpha stepped forward and growled at Bruce. Immediately, he stepped back and bowed his head, allowing Steve to take his place and cup Tony’s face. Tony felt guilty after that: Bruce was only trying to help, after all.

“I apologize,” he managed through gritted teeth, “I—the touch—”

“Yes, of course. No worries. I will try to remember,” Bruce interrupted, adjusting his spectacles with a nod, “I will go make a batch of medicine for you to take and I will pass along your dietary treatment to Thor. I already informed the Prime, so he knows how to care for you. I hope you feel better, Tony.”

With one last furtive glance at Steve, Bruce nearly ran from the room. Tony mentally noted to ask Thor about the oddness he had witnessed, but the thought was quickly interrupted by hands on his back and legs. He squeaked and tightened his arms around Peter as he was unceremoniously shoved over, frowning when Steve then clambered into the already small bed and tucked himself up against him.

“Make yourself at home,” Tony grumbled, pretending that the Alpha’s scent was not even more pleasing up close, “Would you like me to lay on you as well?”

Steve tilted his head and seemed to regard him, then motioned at Peter and gently patted Tony’s upper chest.

“I already told you, I am not feeding him from my breast, even though you want me to,” Tony said, wishing he felt well so he could properly glare at Steve, “I said _no,_ Alpha.”

He did not like using his Omega tone very often, but the emphasis did the trick and Steve looked shocked. He recovered quickly and nodded, mumbling something that Tony figured was an apology before settling on the pillows without trying to communicate more. Silence stretched on between them with the only sounds being Peter’s quiet snuffles and Tony’s occasional cough and sniffle. The room felt awkward until Steve sighed and slid out of the bed, shaking his hair out and stretching his muscles. Tony tilted his head over to watch him, pretending that he was not already missing the Alpha’s scent.

“Leaving us here?” he croaked, immediately sending himself into a coughing fit.

Steve turned and raised his brow, then pointed at the table to the side of his bed. He retrieved a small lidded bowl from inside the drawer of the table and returned to the bed, crawling back under the furs but sitting upright. Tony peered at the bowl and Steve obligingly opened the lid, smiling when Tony leaned in to carefully smell it. He eyed the oily mixture suspiciously, not expecting it to be…sweet.

“What is it?” He asked, turning his gaze up.

Steve set the bowl in his lap and reached up, fingers movingly deftly as he braided his hair back into the three braids he had had when Tony had first seen him. However, instead of using a string to tie off the ends, he dipped his fingers in the mixture and smoothed it into the ends, effectively pasting them together and preventing the braids from unraveling.

“Ah. Easier than looking for ties and keeping track of them,” Tony said, watching Steve bend over to put the pot on the floor when he was finished with it, “Smart. I am glad I do not have to do that with my own hair, though. I prefer it to be short.”

Ever quiet, Steve leaned back up and offered him a small smile, then settled back down on the bed. He tapped his ear and rolled over onto his side, closer to Tony. Just as he was about to ask what Steve was doing, their bedroom door flew open to reveal Thor, hurriedly attempting to catch said door with one hand and a large platter balanced in the other.

“Ah, good, you are still awake! Banner stopped me in the hall and requested I bring you some broth and herbal tea,” the linguist boomed.

Startled at the sound, Peter shifted and whimpered, easily breaking out into a full-on cry. Tony glared at Thor and tried to hush the babe, rubbing soothing circles on his back and kissing his cheeks.

“Now, now. Thor means you no harm, small one, see? Nothing to fuss over,” he tried, moving Peter down from his shoulder to the crook of his arm, “Shh, sweetheart—I bet you are just hungry, yeah? A little milk will—”

He turned his head and hacked loudly, wheezing and gasping for breath between coughs. A hand settled between his shoulder blades, providing a stable point to concentrate on while he sucked down air, bringing his cough down into a manageable state. The hand disappeared when he slumped back onto his pillows; he felt exhausted, but Peter continued to wail, and from the quiet words Steve was exchanging with Thor, he was not about to get any relief.

“Okay, _okay_, I know you are hungry, but—”

Tony winced when the boy wailed louder, barely resisting putting his hands up over his ears. He reached out toward Thor and looked at him pleadingly, hoping that the man would understand. Thor fumbled with the wineskins but eventually handed one over, and after Tony had tasted it to make sure it was milk, he tipped it down for Peter to drink from.

At least, that is what he _intended_ to do.

The illness had left him shaking from root to toe, which included his hands. Every time he tried to tip the wineskin down, the milk would slosh and he would pull back, afraid that he would accidentally pour it all over Peter and himself. Frustrated, tears pricked his eyes and Tony thrust the wineskin into Steve’s hands, motioning toward Peter.

“You have to feed him. I cannot,” he said, voice thick, “Please—”

Thor hurriedly translated and Steve nodded, scooting closer to them. He wrapped an arm around Tony and supported the arm that was holding Peter, using Tony as a little marionette so he could position Peter right to drink from the wineskin. It took a little finagling, but after a moment, he could properly tip the wineskin down. Peter drank from it, only to thrash his arms about and wail louder, causing fat tears to roll down his plump cheeks.

“Love, please eat,” Tony almost begged, “You will feel much better and then we can sleep the day away, I just need you to drink, yeah? Usually, you do not fuss so much—perhaps you are ill too? Maybe Banner was—”

The arm under him tightened and moved his arm out and up, slightly rolling Peter onto his side and in toward Tony’s bare chest. Tony turned to glare at Steve, who blinked innocently and offered a sweet, patient smile, but he knew _exactly_ what the Alpha was attempting to do. He tried to complain, but a sharp pain on his left nipple snapped him out of it and caused him to yelp, then sigh as his aching chest began to lessen in pain. Steve’s innocent smile melted into a knowing look, which Tony was _not_ about to acknowledge. Instead, he rolled his head down to look at the babe attached to his nipple, finally quiet as he suckled his meal.

“You knew that this is what was making me hurt,” He accused fondly, “My smart boy, putting up a fuss to try and help his father, hm?”

“…I shall leave you to your breakfast, then,” Thor said awkwardly, setting down the tray he had brought onto Steve’s bed.

After a quick translation to Steve, he bolted from the room, no doubt uncomfortable from the scene they made. Tony was uncomfortable too; he knew he needed to talk to Steve about boundaries and finding roundabout ways to achieve what he wanted. Regardless of being the Prime Alpha, he definitely was _not_ allowed to walk all over him and Peter. Annoyed, Tony scooted over in the bed and wriggled his way out of Steve’s arms, growling when he tried to reach for them. Tony curled his arms over Peter protectively, flushing slightly under the Alpha’s gaze.

“I wish you would leave,” he said shortly, “I know you are trying to help in the way _you_ think is best, but I said _no_, and I wish I could have done this on my own time and not under your guided hand. Peter is _my_ child and I will raise him the way _I_ want to, regardless of whether or not you are my Alpha.”

He knew that it was falling on deaf ears, but it felt good to get it off of his chest. He realized he had begun to cry while he was talking and reached up with his free hand to wipe the tears away, immediately growling again when he saw Steve try to reach for his face. The Alpha flinched and looked quite upset, pulling his hand away to cradle against his chest. Slowly, he slid out of the bed and went over to his own, picking up the tray to place down on Tony’s bed where he had previously laid. With a nod, Steve turned on his heel and walked out the bedroom door, gently shutting it behind himself.

“He deserved it,” Tony said out loud, more of to himself than Peter, “He should feel guilty—right, love?”

He smoothed Peter’s wispy hairs down, smiling at the babe’s sleepy face. Carefully, he managed to pull him away from his nipple, easing the babe up onto his chest to pat his back and burp him. With Peter finally settled, Tony reached for the bowl of broth that Thor had brought, sighing happily as he curled his hand around the warm bowl. He slowly brought it up to his mouth and drank as much as he was willing to risk since he was still worried about not being able to get out of the bed if his nausea returned. No sooner had he put the bowl down did a knock sound at the door and it opened, revealing the good doctor.

“Sorry, I do not mean to disturb your rest,” Bruce said, hurrying over with a jar in his hand, “I made up your medicine for you—are you done with that?”

At Tony’s hesitant nod, Bruce moved the tray and sat, holding up the jar to Tony’s lips. He sighed and sipped at it, screwing up his face at the taste.

“It’s ghastly, I know, but it works,” Bruce apologized, capping the jar after he deemed Tony had drunk enough, “I will leave it on the Prime’s bed stand so you can have another dosage if you still feel ill tonight.”

“Can I ask you something?” Tony interrupted, changing the subject.

Startled, Bruce froze and slowly nodded. “Of course. What ails you?”

“Can you make sure Ste—that the Prime stays away? Tell him I can spread the sickness or whatever you can think of. I have barely been here a day and that man has already pushed me into doing… things… I had _no _intention of doing. I realize that I am an Omega, but a father still has his rights,” he said, growing more frustrated as he talked.

He had not realized that he had begun to cry again until Bruce reached over and wiped the tears from his face. Humiliated, Tony ducked his head, glaring at his bed furs when a gentle hand laid on his shoulder.

“Is this about the feeding?” Bruce asked quietly, gaining an answer through Tony’s silence, “Tony, you do not have to feed Peter from your breast, but the other option is to forcibly remove your milk from your body with a type of pump—it is quite uncomfortable and more embarrassing than anything you could be put through. If you leave it be, the milk with curdle and become quite infected. We have had Omegas die from the infection spreading.”

Tony looked up and made eye contact with Bruce, searching the doctor’s eyes for any sort of untruth.

“So either I let him suckle or I die?” he said flatly.

“No, no. I would help you pump every day and make sure you are as comfortable as you could be, given the circumstances. Induced motherhood is not easy, Tony. Your body’s natural response to Peter is to take care of him the best way it can, which includes producing for him. There…There are some upsides to it, if that helps. Your pheromones become stronger and help strengthen his resistance to illness.”

Still fairly unimpressed, Tony huffed and looked over at Peter, only to smile at the drowsy baby. He pressed a kiss to Pete’s forehead and rubbed his back, smiling as he started to drift off.

“You also don’t have to worry about poisonings if his meals are coming from your body,” Bruce continued, raising an eyebrow at Tony’s stare, “The Prime asked us why you would drink your son’s meal before him. Thor and I explained that you were most likely making sure we had not put anything else in the wineskin, yes?”

Tony scowled and shifted himself down on the bed, readjusting himself and Peter and forcing Bruce to stand up. He put Peter in the middle of his chest to best support the babe, wincing slightly when his small hands clutched at his chest hair.

“You are a good mother to him, Tony. Being willing to stand up to the Prime shows that,” Bruce said softly, all of the fight gone from his voice, “I will pass on your message, but please—be easy on him. He has lived a life much different from yours and is only trying to ease your transition here the best way he knows how. I have no doubt that if you asked, he would go and try to move the mountains for you. Whether or not you believe it, the Prime wants nothing but to give you a good, safe life. You _and_ Peter.”

“Yeah. He better,” Tony mumbled, stroking Peter’s back, “Could—could you leave me to rest? I feel quite tired.”

Bruce offered a tight smile and nodded, bowing his head before leaving and closing the door behind him. Tony let out the breath he had been holding and tilted his chin down to kiss the top of Peter’s head, readjusting the furs around them to cover them better.

“Finally ready to settle down, little one?” he whispered, stroking a shaky thumb over Peter’s cheek.

Leaning his head back, Tony settled but was unable to rest, staring at the ceiling as his muddy thoughts mulled over his predicament. It was a lot better than what his father would have done to him had he stayed, and he supposed he should be grateful—other than Steve’s inability to listen, he _had_ been treated well, and the others seemed to genuinely be concerned for his well-being. If things continued to be… less than ideal with Steve, he figured he could always hide out with Thor since he had witnessed the linguist publicly scold the Prime Alpha.

He shifted a bit so he could nestle his head to the side, allowing him to see Peter’s face. The babe was fast asleep, most likely exhausted by all the commotion. Content, Tony let his own eyes drift shut, only to open them seconds later when two faint knocks sounded at the door. He looked up to see the door silently creak open and a familiar head poked in, showing only Steve’s hair and his worried eyes. Tony barely made eye contact and the Prime’s gaze dropped to the floor; he shuffled in without looking up, scooting over to his bed to grab the tray Thor had brought in earlier. Tony waited for some sort of acknowledgment, but Steve remained silent and submissive in his body language, quickly exiting the room and closing the door again.

_…Odd._

“Whatever the doctor said to him must have worked,” he murmured to himself, blinking slowly as the effects of Bruce’s medication began to make him feel drowsy.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Tony closed his eyes again, easily slipping into a heavy slumber. He slept dreamlessly, once again waking to a dark room lit only by candlelight. Groaning, he slowly worked his eyes open, all too aware of his pounding headache.

“Gods,” he managed, licking his lips to help the dryness in his mouth.

Tony carefully shifted Peter from his chest to his arm, slowly sitting up to make sure that he would not suddenly become nauseous. Surprised that he could actually stand, he carefully trudged over from his bed to where the medicinal jar still sat and single-handedly unscrewed it to drink another dosage. He gagged less this time around but still made a pitiful noise, not at all enjoying the taste of the sludge.

“I need to ask Bruce what he puts in that awful concoction,” he grumbled to Pete, smiling at the baby’s soft coos, “I do not think you would find it very pleasant, sweet thing. Let’s go bathe, yeah? Wash off the day’s sick and perhaps we can go find something to fill our bellies.”

Peter seemed to perk up at the mention of food, reaching a curious hand up to grab at Tony’s chest. Tony laughed and gently patted his hand as they headed into the bathroom. Careful to not accidentally drop the babe, Tony drew a warm bath and undressed them both, dropping Pete’s soiled clothes and his padded cloth into the corner. He dug around the various cabinets in the room until he found a bar of soap, shushing Pete when the baby tried to grab for it.

“Not for you, my love. Not to eat, anyway,” he soothed, turning off the tap and stepping into the warm water, “Are you hungry again, sweet one? It has been another eventful day; I would not be surprised—”

He choked on his words when Peter latched onto his already sore nipple, hissing at the aching pain that shot through his chest. First, he settled into the bath, then he gently pulled Peter away, cradling the babe in his other arm and moving him back up to his chest. On instinct, Pete found his other nipple and began to feed, eyes slipping shut and small hands holding tight to his chest hair.

“That’s it, you have your fill, darling. Nice and relaxed,” Tony grit out, thunking his head against the side of the bathtub.

Theoretically, feeding should not hurt, but Bruce had been right—his left breast did feel less sore than it had in the morning, and the now-apparent swelling had gone down by a considerable amount. The thought that this would become a regular occurrence brought the taste of the medicine back to his mouth, so Tony pushed the thoughts aside and began to clean them both down. Peter was surprisingly pliant through his bath, not even protesting when Tony peeled his hands off of his chest to clean them.

“You are so good for me,” he murmured as he laid back so Peter could rest on his own, leaving both of his hands free, “Just another few minutes and we can go find some clothing and something to eat.”

He worked slowly as to not jostle the babe too much, methodically working down his arms and legs with the soap until he felt decently clean. He made sure to have a good hold on Peter before he got up and stepped out of the bath, letting the water drain and putting the bar of soap back where he had found it. There were no drying cloths in sight, so Tony headed out into the bedroom, figuring they could air dry for a bit while he scrounged through the closet for more clothes. Just as he crossed halfway through the room, the door swung open and he stopped, eyes widening when he realized Steve was standing frozen in the doorway. Acutely aware of his nudity and Pete’s attachment, he tried to say something, but Steve was faster; the Alpha squeaked and clapped a hand over his eyes, ducking his head down. He tried to back out of the room, but he instead smacked into the wall, groaning and clutching at his back.

“Oh, gods,” Tony muttered under his breath, ditching modesty to try and help the clearly agitated man, “Come now, I am not _that_ hideous.”

He grabbed Steve’s flailing hand and gave it a quick squeeze, pulling him into the room and kicking the door shut behind him. It took a few minutes, but eventually Tony managed to lead Steve over to his large bed, backing him up until the backs of his legs hit the edge. Steve sat, his hand still firmly stuck over his eyes.

“Dramatic, hm? I should not have expected less,” Tony said, quickly moving to unlatch Peter and lay the babe down on the bed, “Stay still. Just another minute, hm?”

He squeezed Steve’s hand once more and let go so he could rifle through the closet, coming up with another pair of Omega underwear and a large shirt that came down mid-thigh. Thankfully, there was a pile of infant’s clothing on the bottom shelf, clearly newly laundered. He chose a blue dress and matching undergarment, attending to Pete to dress him then put the babe back in the crook of his arm.

“All clear,” Tony said softly, gently pulling on Steve’s hand to take it away from his eyes, “Are you alright?”

Steve’s brow furrowed; the shame was easy to see in his clear eyes and he dropped his head, turning his gaze to the side. Tony sighed and made a decision, slipping his hand under Steve’s chin so he could gently turn his face back toward his own. He offered up a small smile, brushing his thumb over Steve’s jaw.

“At least you seem repentant,” he said, “We need to lay down rules and learn a way to communicate—I know you have trouble with my language, so I think I will have to learn yours. I do not care for not being able to talk with you, _Alpha_.”

The word made Steve perk up almost immediately, relief flooding his face and bringing crinkles to the corners of his eyes. He brought his hand up to cover Tony’s, turning his head so he could kiss Tony’s palm. Embarrassed by the affection, Tony patted his cheek and pulled away, stepping back and motioning to his stomach.

“You know I slept the day away again—I need to eat,” he said sheepishly.

Steve cocked his head to the side, but Tony’s stomach made its presence know and the Prime smiled and nodded. He gestured toward the door, jogging over to open it for Tony. The hiss did not go unnoticed, so as he passed, Tony sympathetically put a hand on the spot where Steve had hit the wall.

“I apologize. I never intended for you to get hurt,” he said quietly, “We will understand each other soon, I hope.”

Oblivious, Steve merely smiled down at Tony, reaching up to cup his cheek until Tony moved away. They walked down to the dining room and Tony sat in the same chair that he had been proffered the night prior while Steve headed off toward the kitchen. He adjusted Peter to be up against his shoulder, patting his back as he suddenly remembered the after-feeding ritual. Pleased to hear the baby burp, he rubbed soothing circles, only to pause when his shoulder began to feel damp. He pulled Pete back, and seeing spit on his lips, sighed.

“This is _not_ my shirt,” Tony tried to scold, unable to help his smile at the baby’s innocent look, “I will have to explain myself, you know.”

Peter merely wiggled his legs until he was cradled in Tony’s arms again. He quickly grasped a handful of his new dress and stuck it in his mouth, idly gumming the fabric. Tony knew he should probably take it out of his mouth, but Steve was walking toward them with a plate of food and the smell of something spicy easily distracted him.

“Gods, that smells _heavenly_,” Tony groaned when Steve placed the plate in front of him.

Eager, he picked up a piece of meat and ate it, moaning at the bursts of different flavors. It burned his tongue and throat, but he quickly scarfed down the portion anyway, barely able to keep down his pout when he realized he had eaten it all. He looked up to try and ask for more, only to pause at the look on Steve’ face; the man’s eyes were sad despite the small smile on his lips.

“Was—was I supposed to share?” Tony asked, confused, “Was I not supposed to eat it?”

Steve only tilted his head and pushed the plate closer to Tony, motioning as if to say _go on, eat_. Suspicious, Tony moved onto the starch and picked up a cube of potato, popping it into his mouth. Confirming his theory, he watched Steve’s eyes follow his fingers into his mouth before dropping back to the plate, like a hound waiting for a scrap.

“You could just ask, you know,” he said, picking up another piece of potato and holding it out to Steve.

Without hesitation, Steve leaned forward and took the piece from Tony’s fingers with his mouth, licking his fingers to clean off the lingering spices. Tony tried to suppress the shiver that ran down his spine and gently pulled his hand away, pretending that he was not watching Steve lick his lips. He finished off his food and occasionally shared more bits with Steve, even letting him have the last piece on the plate.

“I wonder if you are actually hungry or if you only enjoy being fed,” Tony said quietly, wrapping both arms around Peter as Steve stood to take the empty plate away.

Peter kicked his foot into Tony’s stomach, whimpering softly behind the piece of the dress he had been chewing on. Tony immediately moved the baby up to his shoulder and hushed him, gently rocking them both back and forth.

“You do not like when daddy does not pay attention to you, huh?” He soothed, nuzzling at Peter’s cheek and kissing him there, “I apologize, my love. I will try to be more awake tomorrow so we can spend time together. Perhaps Steve will take us out to see the city, if we ask.”

A voice drew his attention and he turned his head toward Steve, scrunching his brows in confusion. The Alpha motioned at him to wait before jogging off, returning moments later with Thor in tow.

“Ah, you are awake! I did not know that the Southerners are nocturnal and sleep the day away,” he teased, clapping a hand on Tony’s back as he sat next to him, “How have you and the babe fared?”

“We are well. Banner’s medicine and some food seemed to have helped a lot,” Tony admitted, “Hopefully one more dose and another rest will bring me back to full health.”

“Excellent. Now, the matter the Prime has called me to before I retire for the evening—he and Bruce both approached me about the situation that occurred this morning.”

He paused awkwardly, tapping his fingers on the table as he thought through his next sentence.

“I… apologize for not seeing how distraught you were over Peter’s feeding. I suppose I wrote off your response as being affected by your illness, not understanding that you were genuinely upset over it. After the Prime came to me in tears, I realized what had happened and talked with him about it. We intended on having this conversation earlier, but when we came to find you, Bruce had just left you to sleep. The three of us talked for a while and decided it would be best if this was all resolved as soon as possible,” Thor said, his voice becoming more gentle as he talked, “I wanted to apologize first, though. Not only for not recognizing your ailment but for also not keeping my promise. I should have stepped in and said something.”

Tony blinked his misty eyes and nodded, only to shake his head and sniffle.

“No, no. It happened too fast for you to have said anything. I do not blame you at all, Thor. You have been so good to me these last few days, I am not sure I even _could_ be angry with you,” he said honestly, “Besides, Banner talked with me about the, uh, _anatomy_ of it. I—I better understand what is happening now, so I think I will be okay with it. I did not know that I could even _do_ this until yesterday, let alone know that it could possibly kill me if I leave it be.”

Steve interrupted with a few words of his own, to which Thor rolled his eyes and answered him, pointing so the man would sit next to him.

“He does not appreciate that we are talking in front of him without my translations,” Thor explained, grinning while Steve pouted.

“It is how I feel these days. It is a good practice in learning patience.”

Thor laughed and translated to Steve, who merely deepened his pout. He grumbled out a sentence, but the strict manner soon fell and his arms began to shake, so he ducked his head to hide his face from them. With a soft sigh, Thor put a hand on Steve’s shoulder and squeezed.

“He really is quite upset over the ordeal,” he explained quietly to Tony, “I have known the Prime for many years, and he has never been with another, even in his childhood. He is quite… old-fashioned, in terms of wanting to continue his line with an Omega, but also to be committed to servitude for them. If you would let him, he would wash your feet. Still, his experience with an Omega was, and is, limited. He did not realize that in his attempt to prevent you from becoming more ill that he was crossing a boundary. That does not excuse his actions, but it does provide some explanation for them. He was quite distraught and confused when he came to me and even _more_ so after Banner passed on your message. We sent him off to talk to his Lieutenant and he came back to us to ask for this meeting so he could formally apologize to you and ask you for mercy.”

“Wh—mercy?” Tony asked, listening to Thor translate to Steve, “Why mercy? I—I get now that he is naïve, and I think he understands to not do such things again, but mercy?”

Steve stood up and crossed behind Thor so he could stand in front of Tony, only to drop to his knees with a sharp _crack_ on the hard stone. The candlelight reflected off of the tear tracks on his cheeks and instinctively Tony reached out to wipe them off. He let his hand rest on Steve’s face, pretending that he did not see the oddly determined look in his eyes.

“Thor, tell me what is going on,” he demanded without looking away.

“He requested to atone in the ancient fashion. Alphas that mistreated their Omegas were beaten by their mates until the Omega felt as though they had suffered as they had,” Thor explained, tilting his head, “Since he cannot understand me, I find it pertinent to tell you that I do not agree with his methods. He is quite stubborn at times and can be dramatic when wanting to prove himself. If you wish to agree to his atonement, though, I will not stop you.”

“Oh gods, I am _not_ going to beat him. He has seen my nudity, he should know how I feel about that,” Tony growled, grabbing Steve’s chin and tilting his head up, “Understand? If you want something, or wish to help, you find someone who speaks my dialect to tell me. We need to _communicate_, not beat each other raw like a bunch of savages. I expect better from you, _Alpha_.”

Steve’s eyes widened and filled with tears as Thor translated; he began to openly cry and nodded, clutching at Tony’s bare legs as he buried his face in his inner knee. Tony shook his head fondly and sunk his hand into Steve’s braid, tugging strands of hair loose.

“Thank you, Thor. I am sure we will be having many talks like this one in the future,” he said, smiling at the giant, “Will you help me with retiring to our room? I cannot hold him up with Peter in my arms.”

“Of course.”

With great effort, they managed to peel Steve up off the floor once Tony promised to let him keep a hand on his back as they walked. Carefully, Tony lowered Peter down from his shoulder to be cradled in his arms once more, unsurprised to see that the baby was quite sleepy.

“I know, love. I will get you into your bed soon so you can sleep properly,” he promised quietly, smiling when the babe grabbed at his shirt, “Do not worry, darling, I will be right there to watch over you. No need to fuss, hm? I will tuck you in with some furs to keep you nice and warm during the night.”

Thankfully, Peter stayed quiet, sated by his meal and Tony’s warm arms. By the time he was being lowered into his bassinet, he was asleep again, not even twitching when Tony covered his legs with furs and bent down to kiss his forehead.

“Goodnight, my love. Sleep well,” he whispered quietly, backing up to blow out the surrounding candles.

He turned to bid Thor goodnight, but the linguist had somehow left them without him noticing. That meant that he and Steve were alone again and judging by the body language of the Alpha, they were going to be dancing around each other again if he did not take the initiative to comfort Steve.

_It was just a big misunderstanding. He is not going to hurt you,_ Tony thought as he hesitantly approached him, _Take things slow._

Once he could reach out to touch Steve, he spread his left palm over the center of his chest, feeling the stiff body paint shift on his skin. It flaked off and fell to the floor, immediately causing a plan to pop into his brain. Before he could talk himself out of it, Tony moved his hand to take hold of Steve’s wrist, pulling on him to guide him into the bathroom and close the door behind them.

_Hopefully, the closed door will keep the noise at bay, so Peter does not wake._

Tony drew a hot bath, figuring that if he liked a warm bath after a rough day, perhaps Steve did as well. As the water filled up the bathtub, he motioned to Steve, mimicking him undoing his leather skirt and then pointed at the tub. Steve seemed confused, yet once Tony reached for him, he jumped and nodded, hurriedly undressing. Tony’s body desperately wanted him to stare at the Alpha, but he fought his instincts and turned away, retrieving the soap from where he had put it earlier in the evening. Of course, his plans always seem to be interrupted, for when he turned around Steve stood there in his nudity, almost basking in the faint candlelight.

It was undeniable how gorgeous the Alpha looked. The light accentuated each curve and bulge of his muscles and drew attention to his sharp jawline, etherealizing him in a way that perhaps only a full moon could have had a chance to replicate. He was a god among men, even if his less-than-confident stance suggested otherwise. Momentarily, Tony wondered that if he stared much longer his eyes would burn out, like those before him that had had the opportunity to gaze upon angels.

“Tony?” Steve asked quietly, his voice shuddering from the chill of the room and snapping Tony out of his thoughts.

“In,” Tony said, thankful that the low light meant his flush could not be seen easily.

He held out a hand to Steve and helped him step into the warm water, only letting go once he was sure the other man was settled. He knelt by the bath and gently swirled the water with his hand, attempting to diffuse some of the heat of the water. It was strange, to willingly participate in an act that he had previously deemed as overtly gendered, but if Steve would wash his feet, Tony had no issue with washing Steve’s body.

“Try to relax,” he said quietly.

He worked the soap and lathered up his hands before beginning to massage Steve’s right arm, gently washing away the dried-up war paint. Steve was silent while he worked, only uttering the occasional grunt when Tony found a knot in his muscles. Not wanting the man to suffer, Tony easily teased them loose, shivering at Steve’s barely-repressed moans.

“I am sorry to have put you through all of this,” Tony murmured, “You deserve a mate much better than I; perhaps one day I will understand why you chose me, but as of now, I have done nothing but cause you heartache and pain.”

Steve tilted his head and regarded him, so Tony ducked his head and continued to scrub, stopping where the water lapped just above his waist. Before he could dip his hand under the water, Steve suddenly grabbed his wrist and tugged up, forcing Tony to look at him. He offered a reassuring smile and took the soap from Tony’s hand, waving him away.

“Are you sure?” Tony asked, pretending that he was not secretly relieved.

Steve waved him off again. Thankful, Tony stood, bowed his head, and quietly exited the bathroom, making sure to close the door quietly behind him. He tiptoed over to Peter’s bassinet and peeked in, letting out a relieved sigh once he saw that the baby was still asleep.

_I am grateful for small mercies._

Truth be told, he was quite exhausted from the day, despite having slept most of it away in a sick stupor. As he sat down on his bed, Tony realized he was still wearing Steve’s shirt. He picked up the hem of it and stared, but eventually he shrugged and crawled under his furs, figuring that if Steve had made no mention of it before he was welcome to still wear it. He made himself comfortable and adjusted his pillows but still felt restless, tossing and turning until Steve emerged from the bathroom. Thankfully, he had the furs tugged up enough that Steve would not have been able to see his gaze, so he was free to stare at his sculpted glutes.

He expected Steve to retire as he had, but instead the Alpha blew out the candles except for the one above his drafting desk and sat down there, still completely nude. He reorganized the multitude of papers he had spread about and pulled out a large piece of parchment to work on. Tony watched him carefully dip a quill into a jar of ink and scratch on the parchment, his tongue bit between his teeth as he worked. Whatever he was doing, it must have been important, for the space between his brows was scrunched together in thought.

Knowing that Peter was asleep, Tony felt more comfortable to allow himself to drag his eyes down Steve’s body, trying to not squirm at the arousal that coiled in his guts. The man’s posture allowed him to have a full view of his front since Steve sat with one heel up on the side of the chair as if he was presenting himself. Tony had already known he was mostly covered in downy hair, but with the full visual, he could not help but stare at the thick thatch of blond hair that spread out from the base of his cock and up toward his belly. He had thought he preferred more clean-shaven skin, yet all he wanted to do was crawl over to the Alpha and shove his face into his crotch, just to feel the curly hairs scratch across his face. It was embarrassing to have those thoughts about a man he barely knew.

His body did not seem to care.

In an effort to keep from leaking his slick onto the bed, Tony shifted slightly, only to have the bed creak underneath him. He stilled and a chill swept down his spine; when he finally forced himself to look up at Steve, the Alpha was looking back at him, an amused smirk on his face. Embarrassment no doubt turned his cheeks a bright red and he made to duck under the furs, but Steve cleared his throat and held a hand out to him, beckoning him over. Tony swallowed his pride and slid out of the bed to pad over to Steve, awkwardly hovering next to him. The Alpha took his hand and tugged, putting his knee under him so Tony could perch on his lap. A sickening squelch resounded as his ass hit Steve’s leg and Tony froze again, suddenly aware of the Omega underwear he was wearing and that it was most likely wet from his slick.

“I am sorry,” he whispered, unable to loosen up due to the shame he felt, “Y-you just bathed, you will have to clean up again—”

A hand smoothed down his back and pulled on his sleep shirt until Tony forced himself to look at Steve. The Alpha smiled softly back at him and rested a hand on the curve of his hip, rubbing his thumb in what he assumed was a calming manner. Supposedly, Steve would push him off if he really _was_ disgusted by him, so Tony started to relax and let the Alpha pull him in to tuck him up against his chest. It was nice, really: the touch, the comfort, the smell of a content Alpha…It made him want to curl up against Steve and fall asleep, but then the parchment on the drafting table caught his eye.

“What is this?” he asked, leaning forward to look.

Though he could not read the words on the page, the set up of the document was familiar, as he easily recognized what a city layout looked like. The Warlord compound was massive, sprawling off of the page onto separate pieces of parchment that Steve had arranged around the main piece to form a full picture. There were strange markings all around the surrounding wall, but after a quick analysis, Tony deduced what most of them meant, including gates, city plumbing, and various defenses that were sketched out. The last on the list interested him on the most, and as he went around the city looking at the design and placement of the defenses, realized that something was wrong.

“You have left yourself open to a divided attack,” he said aloud, scooting forward on Steve’s leg to better look at the paper and make sure that he had properly come to his conclusion, “Look—you have good base defenses, but you have concentrated them around the plumbing that runs out from the walls. In theory, that would fend off anyone planning on a sneak attack by coming in through the pipes, but it weakens the surrounding, less-defended walls. If a large enough army divided itself in half and squeezed the city, they would easily win. The compound is too large to call for extra men in time.”

Tony turned to see if Steve followed, but the man only looked confused and worried, understanding his tone but not his words. He thought quickly and raised a finger, turning back around to grab a blank piece of parchment. He drew angry stick figures with weapons on it and showed it to Steve, then proceeded to rip it in half. He placed each half on opposite sides of the compound and leaned out of the way, motioning Steve forward to look.

“See? There are not enough men here,” He explained, shifting his representations of the army to simulate them attacking the under-defended sides, “Men would have to be split to each attack point to defend it, but there are not enough within range that could get there in time to properly ward off the attack. You need to put more men or heavier artillery here.”

He grabbed another piece of paper and drew up a quick sketch of a hot oil catapult, placing it on one of the areas that needed more defense. Steve peered over his shoulder and gave him a suspicious look, to which Tony made a whooshing noise, scratching down a river of ink over the mock army to blot them out of existence. He turned back toward Steve to judge his reaction and stopped, flushing when he smelled the wave of proud Alpha pheromones that began to scent the room. It was a sweet scent and he reveled in it, preening under the man’s warm gaze.

“Thor,” Steve said with a firm nod, tapping on the paper, “Tony, thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Tony gushed, his Omega fluttering in happiness in his chest at even a slight bit of approval from an Alpha, _his_ Alpha, “Thank _you_, Steve.”

Steve nodded again and beamed, gently easing Tony up from his lap so he could stand. He ushered Tony over to his bed, holding up the furs for him to crawl back under.

“Bed, Tony,” he said quietly, “Yes?”

“Yes, Tony bed,” Tony said with a yawn, closing his eyes.

He snuggled down into the bed and sighed softly, feeling warm and fuzzy as Steve tucked in the furs around him. After a moment, his lids went dark, signaling that Steve had blown out the last candle. Just as he was about to fall asleep, his face tingled, and he realized that Steve was in front him and that the tingling was from his gentle breaths. He dared not open his eyes and scare the other man, hoping that the Alpha was only checking on him. A few silent moments ticked by, then Steve spoke in low tones with words completely foreign to his ears, yet with a tone that suggested he was saying something that he would be too afraid to tell Tony in the light. He tucked away the words for later, hoping that he could speak them well enough for Thor to translate.

When Steve stopped speaking, Tony figured he would finally retire for the night, but then something soft and scratchy brushed over his forehead and a creak suggested that Steve had stood and moved away. It took a moment to think of what Steve had done to him, but when the realization hit, he curled up under the furs to hide the shy smile on his face. He had expected Steve’s lips to be hard and chapped, not soft, and the feeling of his short beard had been oddly pleasant on his skin.

He wanted to feel it again.

_Oh gods_, he thought to himself, _I think I am falling for him already—what would Rhodey think of me like this?... He would tell me that this is what got me into this mess in the first place._

Fondness turned into nausea, so Tony rolled over in his bed, juggling with conflicting emotions that did not have room for each other in his small chest. Eventually, he decided that whatever may come, he would do what was best for Peter, come hell or high water. Content that he had made a proper decision, Tony settled and fell into a dreamless slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Prime gathers his council so Tony can tell them his findings, then takes his beloved out into the city to experience the market.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags updated as chapters updated. Beta'd by @lylilunapotter.
> 
> Comments and kudos are really appreciated! Ask me questions over @avengersasssemble on tumblr.com.

He was woken by a hand on his arm before the morning light had begun to shine in the room. Startled, Tony gasped, only to relax when Steve’s scent filled his nose.

“You scared me,” he grumbled in a low voice, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, “The day has not even begun—what is the matter?”

“Thor,” Steve said quietly.

He offered no other explanation, simply waving him toward the bathroom. Thankfully, Steve had apparently relit all the candles already, so Tony had no trouble with stumbling into the next room. He quickly splashed water on his face, staring at himself in the mirror above the small basin. The skin under his eyes was dark and his cheeks were slightly gaunt, accentuated by his scraggly goatee and unkempt hair. He fixed the latter with water, smoothing it down to try and make himself look presentable when a knock on the door dragged him out of his thoughts.

“Tony?”

“Coming,” he called, finishing up his hair.

He stepped out to find Steve standing over Peter, a smitten look on his face as he let the baby play with one of his fingers. Tony smiled and sidled up to him, giggling softly when Steve jumped.

“Sorry,” he apologized, scooping Peter up out of the crib to start the baby’s morning routine.

While Steve puttered about, Tony grabbed a new set of clothes for him and Peter from the closet, heading into the bathroom again to clean Peter up before dressing him. Today’s dress was lavender, embroidered with silver thread that shimmered. He seemed to like it, immediately grabbing onto it and yanking it around with his tiny fist.

“You are adorable, my love,” Tony murmured, tickling the bottom of Peter’s feet, “We need to thank whoever donated these clothes for you, yeah? You are so cute.”

He cooed over the baby as he dressed himself, only to pause when he went to reach for his shirt and realized that one was not there. He sighed and stared down at his leather pants then looked at Peter, noting that the baby did not seem to care about his plight.

“I guess we are going bare this morning, baby,” he said, shifting Peter up to his shoulder, “At least it will be easier for you to feed.”

He moved back out into the bedroom and paused in his step, eyes focused on Steve. The Alpha was turned away from him as he dressed, strapping leather belts across his chest before dragging out a large fur cloak with a lion head hood from the closet, tossing it over his shoulders and tying it on. As if sensing Tony’s gaze, Steve turned around to catch him, an easy smile lighting up his face as he finished arranging his cloak. He looked more like a Warlord with the additional accessories, but Tony could not help but feel a bit naked in comparison.

“You look…good,” He finally said, “Perhaps I could get a cloak at some point since I tend to run cold.”

Steve hummed and beckoned him over, ducking into his closet to pull out a large wooden trunk. He propped open the lid and dug around before coming up with an armful of items. First, he settled a pair of leather moccasins by Tony’s feet, and upon deciding that they would fit, helped Tony slide into them and tied them around his ankles.

“Ah, t-thank you,” Tony stammered, doing his best to keep from squirming at Steve’s light touches, “Not quite what I wanted, but they _are_ warm…”

Steve stood up with his next lot of items and began putting them on Tony, starting with leather bracers on his wrists before moving to drape a plain cloak on his back, clasping it around his neck. He stepped back to admire his work, but before he could approve, Peter reached up from Tony’s chest and grabbed onto the tie, tugging on it. Tony squeaked and untangled the baby’s hand, quickly taking off the cloak to hand back to Steve.

“I do not want him to get hurt on accident if he can reach it,” Tony said sadly, not really wanting to let the warm cloak go.

The Alpha seemed to understand and put the cloak back, closing the trunk and shoving it back into his closet. He motioned for Tony to follow him and headed out the door, pausing to make sure he was being followed.

“Where are we going in such a hurry?” Tony grumbled, nuzzling Peter’s head while he stayed in line with Steve.

They traipsed back into the bowels of the castle and down a few flights of stone steps until Steve stopped at an unremarkable door and knocked four times, waiting for a beat between each knock. After a second, the door creaked open and Steve stepped aside, motioning for Tony to enter. He moved forward and paused, suddenly under assault by a room full of eyes. The entire conglomerate of Warlords stared back at him and he took a step back, only to bump up against Steve’s chest. Slowly, he turned his head up to look at the Prime Alpha and whimpered, unable to help clutching Peter a little tighter.

“My friends! Come in, come in,” Thor called cheerfully, stepping out from amongst the throng of people to clap a hand onto Tony’s shoulder and usher him in, “The Prime called us all for a meeting this early hour and told us you and the fair babe would be in attendance—he says you have some important things to tell us about our walls, yes?”

“O-oh. Oh, gods, you all scared me,” Tony breathed, relaxing at Thor’s explanation, “I thought something was about to happen to me.”

“Nothing bad, my friend. Simply a good meal and good company—you have yet to be introduced to the others, no? I will introduce you while the Prime fixes you a plate.”

Thor translated to Steve and let him skirt around them before turning to the room, getting their attention with a clap of his hands. Looking at the blank faces staring back at him, Tony swallowed nervously, noting the absence of the physician. As Thor introduced him in the Northern language, he studied the other Warlords; he recognized most of them from being in the throne room on the day he had arrived.

“Our best archer, Clinton Barton,” Thor said, switching to the Southern dialect for Tony’s benefit, “His pinpoint accuracy with a longbow is unparalleled. He, along with our falconer, train and keep our band of fellows. He knows pieces of your language, but he prefers to speak with his hands.”

_Difficulty hearing_, Tony’s brain supplied.

Thor waved a hand to the one woman in the room and beckoned her over, murmuring to her in low tones before turning to Tony.

“Lady Natasha Romanov. One of the finest Omegas I have ever had the pleasure of fighting alongside. She hails from the East, where she entertained kings and queens in dance while studying advanced hand-to-hand combat. She is what remains of an elite program, earning her the title of the Black Widow.”

Stunned, Tony sucked in a breath, startling Peter enough to make him shift and whimper. He hushed the baby, wilting a little under Natasha’s dead stare.

“I—I apologize. You were in the Red Room, yes?” Tony asked quickly, shrinking when Thor translated and her stare deepened to a glare, “My father, the king—he and the Captain of the Guard once told stories of capturing a Black Widow, trained in the Red Room and carved into unbreakable spies. They used to gloat about having her in captivity, but as far as I know, they never got anything from her. Eventually, they had her killed. I did not know there were other Widows still alive.”

Natasha snapped out a sentence, clearly angered as Thor spoke quietly and physically held her back. Upset by the mood shift, Peter’s soft sniffling exploded into a wail, causing a familiar head to peek up out of the crowd of people.

“Shh, shh, my love,” Tony tried, taking a wobbly step back while lowering Peter into his arms, “Come now, sh-she was only concerned, not angry, not angry at _you_, never you, darling—”

His comforting was interrupted by another sentence from Natasha.

“What was her name?” Thor translated, no longer holding onto her.

“Yelena,” Tony whispered, ducking his head, “I am sorry. There was nothing I could do.”

Shame washed over him and he turned around, intent on scurrying out of the room to hide somewhere else. He was used to causing Alphas to snap, but feeling such anger and despair from a fellow Omega broke his heart in a way that it never had before. If he had felt it, he was sure that Peter had also felt it and was screaming because of it. He got one foot out of the door when an arm came around his shoulders and turned him back in, carefully pulling him into a familiar chest.

“Let me go,” he mumbled half-heartedly, pretending that he was not enjoying the hand rubbing his shoulder, “I need—Peter needs to be fed.”

Steve grunted and draped his cloak around Tony, ducking his head so all three of them were hidden in the semi-darkness. The Prime smiled and nosed at Tony’s cheek, whispering soft words that loosened his taut shoulders despite not understanding the language. Even Peter seemed to find comfort, for the babe’s wails dwindled to quiet whines, bearable enough that Tony could move the baby back up to his shoulder.

“Okay, I will stay. Can—can we get on with the meeting?” Tony said, pulling back from Steve’s embrace.

From behind Steve, Thor spoke, having been hovering over them the entire time. Steve turned and nodded, motioning back to Tony to move with him toward the head of the table. He pulled out the large chair and sat, only to grab onto Tony and pull him down onto his lap. Tony squeaked and glared at him, but Steve merely smiled and pulled a plate of food on the table closer to them. He picked up a piece of fruit and offered it up, apparently not concerned about the group of people staring at them.

“Aw, hell,” Tony grumbled under his breath.

He leaned forward and carefully ate the fruit from Steve’s fingers, relishing the sweet taste. The fresh foods he had eaten while in the North had been nothing short of delicious, and he found himself able to ignore the other Warlords’ gazes while enjoying it. Eventually, the others sat and began to eat as well and the room filled with chatter, easily dissipating the strained tension that had lingered in the air. Once Tony had eaten, he shifted on Steve’s lap to turn himself inward, then moved Peter down into his arms. Making sure that no one was watching, he guided Peter up to his chest, having to juggle him a bit until he could latch on. Tony hissed, still unused to the feeling, and a hand settled on his back; Steve could no doubt feel the ache radiating off of him and was trying to provide some comfort.

“That’s it, little one. Drink as much as you like, they can wait for you to finish,” Tony mumbled, turning more to try and hide the feeding between Steve’s and his bodies.

Just as he got Peter settled, the hairs on the back of his neck rose and a shudder swept down his spine. He turned around and gulped, seeing the man who had stood next to Steve in the throne room. Seeing him up close, Tony paled, realizing that he still had Tony’s family crest clutched in his hand. The man spoke in a deep, raspy voice, motioning toward them with the crest. Steve laughed and answered him, idly patting Tony’s back.

“I need to learn your language,” Tony grumbled, slouching as the men talked over him, “It would be nice to be included.”

The men stopped and Steve’s hand went still, causing another chill to raise bumps on Tony’s arms. He looked up and swallowed nervously, not liking the man’s careful gaze from above him. Then, the man huffed, and the corner of his lips twitched up as he brought the crest up to carefully place it over Tony’s head to settle around his neck. Stunned, Tony’s mouth fell open and he reached up to grab at the crest, picking it up to stare at it before looking back up to stare at the man again. Steve asked a question quietly into his ear and patted his back, either concerned about his lack of response or making sure he was okay.

“Ah! I see you have met Lieutenant Barnes.”

Thor’s voice startled him and he yelped, causing Peter to unlatch and begin to cry. All three men shot the translator a nasty look, but Thor just put a hand on the Lieutenant’s shoulder.

“James Barnes is The Prime’s right-hand man. They have been sworn brothers since diapers,” he continued, smiling despite Peter’s loud protests, “If you want to know anything about our Prime, he is the man to go to. He also helps lead, train, and organize our armies and defenses. He is the one our Prime was most interested in you relaying your new information to.”

_Oh. Steve’s best friend. _

“I…see. Why did he give this back to me? I thought Steve—uh, the Prime, was going to keep it,” Tony asked.

Thor translated the question and Barnes laughed while shaking his head. He reached out to pat Tony’s cheek, only to laugh harder when Steve growled behind him. He patted Tony’s cheek again and purred a sentence at him, then ducked just out of reach when Steve swiped at him.

“Barnes said he would have liked to keep you,” Thor explained, rolling his eyes at the antics, “He is lying, of course, he is _betrothed_. He is merely trying to get a rise out of the Prime. Ignore him unless you are on the battlefield. It is the best policy.”

Tony rolled his eyes and nodded, ignoring the continuing bickering in favor of paying attention to Peter. The babe had quieted some, but he was still fussing and smacking a tiny hand against Tony’s chest, clearly upset at having his meal interrupted. He squeaked until Tony shifted him and moved him up, petting his soft downy hair as he latched on again.

“I am never going to get used to this,” Tony grumbled to himself.

Hands settled on his waist and pulled him back; Steve readjusted them so Tony could sit back more comfortably with Peter and wrapped an arm around them to hold them steady. He motioned to Thor, who clapped his hands to silence the room. Nervous, Tony watched him speak to the room, doing his best to not shrink when the others all suddenly looked at him. It was difficult to not feel awkward when he could not understand what Thor was saying about him, but the linguist pulled down the castle map from the wall and laid it on the table, seemingly oblivious to his discomfort.

“Come, show us what you know,” Thor finally said, turning to him with a smile, “I will translate, so do not feel pressured to stop talking to allow me to catch up.”

He nodded and stood, having to pat Steve’s hands to get him to let go. He wedged himself in between Natasha and Clinton’s seats, hoping that neither Warlord could smell his discomfort.

“Last night, St—the Prime was working on this map and I happened to notice that the, uh, the defenses are wrong,” He started, only to shake his head and backtrack, “Not wrong, but, ah—weak. The eastern and western walls are susceptible if the enemy had enough brains and men.”

Discussing defensive strategies flowed like his blood, giving him more confidence as he went on. He pointed out the flaws as he had with Steve the previous night, but before he could finish, Barnes interrupted him.

“The Lieutenant says he is aware of the fault. We are a small, but mighty, group. There are only so many of us to give to the cause,” Thor explained, “We do not have the men for defense. He wants to know your solution.”

“I can easily design and build some weaponry that would only take one or two men to operate,” Tony answered, thinking about the hot oil machine, “It depends on the resources available to me. I am most proficient in handheld weapons, like crossbows, but defensive mechanisms are not difficult. If you can tell me what your most common opponents wear and wield, I can curate designs to properly counter each one.”

Clinton scoffed next to him, to which Tony looked down, raising both eyebrows.

“So you _do _understand my language?” He accused.

Clint had the decency to look mildly ashamed and he turned his eyes away, clearly caught. Tony turned back to Thor, who smiled.

“As I said, I have been teaching the others,” he said, pleased with himself.

Tony sighed and nodded, letting Thor translate his plan to Barnes. The Lieutenant tilted his head and spoke, maintaining eye contact.

“What about men in leather with swords?” Thor translated.

“Pots of boiling water to be readied on the walls. If you have an example sword or can retrieve one, I can melt it and re-temper it to be stronger, or it can be crafted into a metal shield. Long-distance weapons would be superior, so perhaps you would want it to instead be made into arrows and crossbows?” Tony rattled off.

Barnes sat back when Thor was finished, only to turn to Steve and speak, causing the man to laugh.

“What?” Tony asked, worried he had done something wrong.

“He told the Prime that he sure knows how to pick a mate,” Thor said, amused.

Tony rolled his eyes and stepped away from the table, letting Thor take and answer questions from the others. As the ruckus began to pick up in the room, Peter whined and fussed, unlatching in his fit. Tony quickly shouldered the baby and kissed his cheek, slipping out to the hallway where there was less noise. He bounced the baby in circles and attempted to keep him calm, rubbing and patting his back in case air bubbles were causing him discomfort.

“Shh, darling, my love, everything is alright,” he soothed, lifting up the baby’s dress to check his undergarment, “You are clean, you have been fed—is it just attention you need, little one? Have I not given you enough? Tsk, how awful of me, hm?”

Not soothed by the treatment, Peter continued to cry, grasping at Tony’s chest hair until he winced and had to pull the baby’s hands away. He tried to cradle Peter again to see if he was still hungry, but the baby refused, large tears rolling down his cheeks.

“What has got you all riled, love? Are you scared?” Tony murmured, putting Peter up to his other shoulder in the hopes that the skin-to-skin contact would help him calm, “You have been good with sleeping, surely you cannot be tired?”

The sound of someone clearing their throat startled him, causing Tony to whirl around. Steve was leaning against the doorway and watching them, a fond and concerned smile on his face. He stepped toward them and offered a hand, only coming closer when Tony nodded his permission. Slowly, Steve approached Peter, sidling up behind Tony so he could peer at the infant. Careful to not make any sudden movements, Steve gently laid a hand on Peter’s back, nearly covering the baby due to the size of his hand. A few beats passed and Peter began to quiet, wails turning into quiet sniffles as he ducked his head into Tony’s neck. Shocked, Tony looked up to Steve, who only smiled and winked back at him.

“Witchcraft,” Tony murmured under his breath.

They stood together for another minute to confirm that Peter was settled; Steve pulled away first, beckoning to Tony to follow him. Obedient, Tony went with him, confused when they ended up back in their bedroom. He wanted to question him, but Steve had already gone into his closet.

“Can I have a shirt while you are—oh.”

He stopped when Steve reemerged, flushing brightly at the garments in his hands. One held a plain shirt, but the other held the dreaded nursing bra. Tony looked at it, then looked back to Steve, frowning when the Alpha shook it at him.

“Oh, for god’s sake, _fine_, I will wear your _stupid_ bra,” he grumbled, daring to take a hand off of Peter to grab for the clothing.

He glared at Steve’s beaming smile, gently laying Peter down on the Alpha’s bed so he could don the clothing. To be fair, the bra was not uncomfortable, but the band was tight enough that he could feel it whenever he moved. His cheeks had gone from warm to burning hot with embarrassment and he swallowed the urge to thank Steve for the clothing. Instead, he silently scooped Peter back up into his arms, smiling when the baby attempted to grab at his chest hair but had to settle for his shirt collar.

“No more pulling out hairs, darling. Daddy needs those, sweet one,” Tony said, patting Peter’s bottom, “I will have to find you a toy or something to keep your hands occupied.”

“Friends?”

Tony jumped and turned, glaring at Thor in the doorway.

_God, they need to stop doing that before I die of a heart attack._

“My apologies. I did not mean to scare either of you—you both left in a hurry. Is everything alright?” Thor asked in both languages.

Steve answered him and waved a hand toward Tony, who eyed the two men warily.

“The Prime wishes to take you into the city for the day,” Thor translated, his smile becoming almost too big for his face, “He wants to show you the markets—I have no doubt that you are in for a treat today, Tony. The Prime is quite fond of his peoples and loves to buy things for others. I have no doubt that you and the babe will be laden with gifts and sweets.”

“O-oh. Uh. Alright? I feel bad for not having any money—”

Thor waved him off and spoke to Steve, who rolled his eyes. He stalked over to his desk and opened one of the drawers to pull out a small drawstring bag. He closed the drawer and went over to Tony, picking up one of his hands to deposit the heavy bag in his palm. It jingled when Tony shifted it to test its weight, making him pout.

“I cannot accept your money,” He said, tossing it in the air so he could catch it and hand it back, “I—I already have taken so much, I cannot possibly—”

Steve gently captured Tony’s hand and the bag between his own hands, a smile slowly turning up the corners of his mouth. Distantly, Tony was aware of the charm Steve was laying on him, but his Omega brain latched onto the attention and he tilted his chin up, unable to look away from the Alpha’s gaze. Steve gently pushed Tony’s hand back up against his chest and held it and the bag there, tilting his head down as if to say: _Keep it. Okay?_

He felt woozy, but he managed to nod. Steve pulled his hands away, smiling when Tony pocketed the bag. Warmth rushed over him and tingled his fingertips; he bit down on his lip to keep from gasping at the feeling, praying and hoping to the divines that the two Alphas staring at him could not smell his slick.

_What is _wrong_ with me?_ He thought to himself as he shook his head to try and clear the feeling, _Get it together. He is just an Alpha._

Thor cleared his throat and spoke to Steve, who shook his head in response.

“The Prime does not want me to accompany you today. Perhaps he wishes to spend some alone time with you,” Thor said with a smile, “I will have Barton trail you in case a situation arises in which you need a translator. Enjoy the markets, Tony.”

He repeated himself to Steve, then bowed before leaving the two men. Steve turned to Tony and gestured toward the door, only to flinch as if he had remembered something. He quickly untied his cloak and tossed it onto his bed, then hefted a shield up onto his back from seemingly out of nowhere. Tony paled slightly, as horror stories of the Prime Alpha and his shield filtered into his head. Steve did not notice, or he did not let his acknowledgment show, for he merely took up his gesturing position again, waiting for Tony to walk out first.

“If I go out first, you know that I would be the first to run into an enemy, right?” Tony asked as he walked, shifting Peter to his other shoulder.

Steve fell into place next to him and laid a hand on his lower back, but whether it was meant to be comforting or possessive, Tony could not tell. His touch _was_ warm, so for the moment, Tony allowed it. Together, they walked through the castle foyer and out into the open air, where Tony stopped and looked up into the sky. He took a deep breath, eyes fluttering shut at the smell of a fresh autumn morning, soaking in the warmth of the sun’s rays. It felt good to be outside again.

He sighed when Steve patted his back, peeking open an eye to look over at the Alpha. A concerned face looked back at him, but Tony quelled it with a small smile, letting his feet carry him wherever Steve guided him. Occasionally, the people around them would stop, stare, and whisper, but they mostly streamed by, not caring that a total stranger, an unclaimed Omega, was walking amongst them flanked by their leader. It was a surreal experience, especially for a former prince. He was used to ogling, not being _ignored_. Realizing that he was almost invisible for the first time in his life, Tony teared up, a pained giggle escaping his lips. Steve immediately looked over at him, causing Tony to clear his throat and school his features.

“Sorry,” he said as he tried to suppress his giddy heartbeat.

As they approached the market, various noises filled his ears: children laughing and playing, people talking, music, and occasional shouts of glee. It was another world all on its own, and as Steve guided him deeper, Tony had to stop, slowly turning in a circle to take everything in. Stalls selling various wares were packed in together, trying to fit in as many as possible in the given space. Cones of spices and kabobs of various meat and produce made the market smell like a warm curry, homely and inviting.

A clothing stall with cloaks caught his eye, but before he could head over, a cold hand on his left arm startled him. He turned and blinked at the young woman who was talking quite animatedly.

“I—I am sorry, I do not understand,” Tony tried.

The woman frowned and spoke over his shoulder to Steve, who laughed and answered her. Her mouth formed a silent ‘o’ and she nodded, then tugged on Tony’s arm, guiding the small group to her stall. Tony turned to look at Steve, but the Alpha was unperturbed as he carried on a conversation with the woman.

_He probably knows her,_ Tony realized as she let go of him.

She fiddled in her stall for a moment, then reappeared with a long scarf. She eyed him up and walked around him once before pointing at Peter and putting her hands in front of her chest, mimicking holding the baby in the middle of her chest. He entertained the charades and moved Peter, bristling slightly when she moved in to adjust his hold. Then he froze, as she began to wrap him and Peter in the scarf. She went up and around and under, twisting and adjusting as she went. Finally, she tied it under Peter’s bottom, stepping back to eye her handiwork. He felt gussied up, but then she stepped into his space and grabbed both his hands, squeezing them as she pulled them away from Peter. As if by magic, the baby stayed put on his chest, clearly unbothered by being wrapped up in the cloth. Stunned, Tony’s jaw dropped, and both the woman and Steve laughed.

“A front carrier!” he exclaimed, putting his now-free hands on his hips, “Fascinating—I have never seen it done with a single piece of cloth before. We usually make large pockets with straps or use a side sling. Ingenious!”

He beamed at them both, but they only stared awkwardly, and he remembered his place. His smile fell and he cleared his throat, bowing his head in the hopes that she understood it as thanks. He fumbled for a moment to take out his coin purse, allowing Steve to pick out the correct coins to hand to the woman. It was odd, to feel removed, but only in the sense that his inability to understand made him seem more like an outsider than he already was. In Ma’atan, he had felt left out of his family. Here, he felt left out of the _world_. It scared him more than he thought it should.

“Tony?”

Steve’s voice startled him out of his thoughts, so he pasted on a smile, putting his arms back up to wrap around Peter despite his new apparatus.

“Thank you,” he said, thankful that the familiar phrase seemed to put Steve at ease.

The Alpha gently laid his hand on the small of Tony’s back again, guiding him away from the stall and into the throng of the marketplace. With the masses of people around them, the sling around Peter started to feel more constricting than helpful. Tony easily managed to untie the scarf and handed it over to Steve, already feeling better once he had the baby on his shoulder.

As they walked, Steve tried to point out more stalls to investigate, but Tony was drawn to a small group of older women sitting in a circle with baskets overflowing with flowers around them. He ignored Steve’s chatter and carefully approached the women, unsure if he was welcome. Once he was close enough, they stopped talking and turned to look at him, only to burst into excited chatter and gather around, peering and cooing at the baby. Peter peeked up over Tony’s shoulder at the women, seemingly unbothered by the commotion.

Before he could protest, Tony was pulled in by the women to sit in the circle, sat between who he assumed were the eldest of the matriarchs. The conversation going on flowed right over his head, but based on the women’s smiles, he was more than welcome among them. The woman on his right eventually turned to him and took one of his hands into her gnarled ones, squeezing lightly. Tony tried to understand what she was saying, but eventually, he shook his head, completely lost. Steve’s voice chimed in from behind them and Tony yelped, jumping almost a foot in the air.

“Good gods, you need to stop sneaking up on me,” he snapped, cuddling Peter to his chest since he had also scared the baby in the process.

“For a big man, he is quite light-footed, no?” The eldest woman said, smiling at Tony’s shock, “Not all of us are native Northerners, dear. Some are Southerners and others can speak the language.”

“Oh. I—after meeting Thor, it was my assumption that I was mostly alone,” he explained, frowning when the woman laughed.

“My son does not think before he speaks, sometimes,” she said, shaking her head fondly, “He did not mean any ill intentions, I am sure of it.”

He must have been staring, for she began to laugh again, patting his knee lightly.

“I am Freya, the first of the healers, wife of the All-father. My husband has been gone for many moons now, so our eldest son has taken his place as the Prime’s translator,” she explained, “I took his place for a brief period of time, but my time was better spent amongst those with other gifts.”

“A pleasure, my lady,” Tony said, mimicking a bow as best as he could with Peter on his shoulder, “I am Prince Anthony Stark of Ma’atan, the son of King Howard and Queen Maria Stark.”

“I thought your eyes looked familiar. Maria hosted us once at the castle when she was with child, and I must say, both my husband and I were quite taken back by her gaze. More gold than brown, no? Very unique.”

Tony smiled and nodded, shifting a bit awkwardly under the weight of the compliment. He found it hard to look at his reflection these days; the glow of their shared eyes had dimmed for his mother in the past years as Howard’s true nature revealed itself. Thinking of his wilting mother being left with him brought tears to Tony’s eyes and he ducked his head, only to feel a weight settle on his crown. Confused, he looked back up, eyes crossed to try and see what had been placed on his head.

“It is a crown of flowers. Daisies are still in season,” Freya explained, sympathy soaking her voice, “Perhaps it will bring some blessing as you and the little one adjust to your new home.”

“Thank you,” Tony managed, ignoring his shaky knees as he stood.

Immediately, he was accosted by Steve and dragged away to a more private area where Steve could look him over, cupping his large hands around Tony’s face to brush his thumbs over his cheeks. He was concerned: Tony could feel it radiating off of the Alpha.

“I seem to spend more time comforting you than my infant son,” Tony said, moving Peter down to cradle him in one arm so he could reach up to pat one of Steve’s hands, “You seem very sensitive to how I feel, no? For being unbonded, that is. I promise I am alright, Alpha. Bad thoughts come after us all sometimes.”

Though Steve could not understand his words, his tone seemed to sate the man, as he dropped his hands and slumped his shoulders. Careful to keep his touch light, Tony reached out and brushed their fingers together, giving in to the momentary need for affection. The change was almost startling; he watched Steve’s eyes grow and he straightened up, surprise melting into a beaming smile. Tony rolled his eyes and laughed, returning his hand to Peter to more securely hold the babe. He jerked his head back toward the market and Steve nodded, leading the way back into the masses.

The stalls Steve chose to take him to were quaint and less-overwhelmed than the more popular shops, which Tony was grateful for, as the noise would surely throw Peter in a fit. Instead, Steve guided him to food stalls, paying for various breads and chocolates for him to taste and indulge in. Then, just as he thought he was stuffed full of delicious delicacies and needed to head back to the castle to lie down, Tony spotted one more shop tucked away, gasping when he saw their wares. He immediately abandoned Steve at their latest tasting to go over to the shop, picking up the item he had seen: it was a beautiful cotton doll with thread hair and a soft dress, no bigger than Peter himself. Tony showed it to the baby and smiled when Peter reached up, grabbing at the doll’s arm and holding tight.

“She is perfect, is she not, my love?” Tony whispered, giggling to himself when the baby tried to gum on the doll.

Before he could get yelled at, Tony dug at his money purse and pulled it out, taking out a handful of coins to give to the merchant. The look on the woman’s face told him that he had paid more than he should have, but he waved her off and continued to coo at Peter, too overwhelmed with love for his tot to care about the expense.

“_Tony!_”

The market came to a standstill at the loud shout, all noise turning to a deafening silence. Tony froze and flinched on instinct, only to breathe when he realized it was only Steve. He rushed toward where he thought the shout had come from and found the frazzled Alpha, feeling a bit of shame at having caused him to worry.

“My apologies, I saw—”

Steve whirled around and grabbed his upper arm, tugging him close as he dragged them off to a more private alley. At least, as private as they could get; some of the townspeople followed and hovered around, interested in who their leader was with and what was going down.

“Hey, do _not_ touch me like that,” Tony snapped, swatting at Steve’s hand and moving Peter up to his shoulder in a protective maneuver, “I still have my autonomy, _Alpha_, do not forget that.”

Steve talked fast and with increasing volume, gesturing as if hand motions would somehow allow Tony to understand him. He, of course, could not understand the frantic shouting, so he put a hand on the back of Peter’s head and started to bounce the babe, murmuring to him softly in an attempt to keep the babe calm. Eventually, Steve cottoned onto the fact that Tony was not listening and growled deep in his register, almost forcing Tony to his knees.

That was the last straw.

Tony snapped his head up and growled back, baring his teeth as he stepped into Steve’s space to let the Alpha know who _exactly_ it was that was in charge. The Prime Alpha may have superior leadership of the colony, but Tony was not going to allow him to attempt to force him into submission since his Omega biology reacted to an Alpha command. The crowd around them gasped at the defiance; at the noise, Steve suddenly seemed to remember himself. He turned red, crossed his arms and ducked his head, outwardly yielding to Tony’s display.

Then, as if on cue, Peter began to cry, dissolving into a loud wail faster than he ever had before. Tony immediately backed down and tried to soothe the baby, much more concerned with him than Steve’s ridiculous antics.

“Shh, darling, we were not fighting over you, I promise,” he whispered, turning his back on the crowd in a last-ditch effort for privacy, “Do not be scared, my love. Daddy is here to protect you, even from the big scary Alphas. Shh, _please_, you are alright—”

Peter continued to cry as Tony checked his undergarments and bounced him, mentally ticking off reasons as to why the baby could be upset. Finally, out of desperation, Tony shucked up his shirt and the stupid nursing bra, holding the hems in his teeth as he guided Peter up. The babe took a second to latch, but once he did, he settled and his tears dried up. Relieved, Tony sent up a quick prayer to the divine, thankful that the babe was only hungry and not traumatized by Steve’s and his behavior. Careful of the material, he slowly let the bra and his shirt down, tucking one into the other to keep it in place.

“Good job, little one, telling me when you needed something,” Tony said quietly, gently stroking Peter’s fine hair, “Perhaps I should take you back to our room, hm? Today has been so stressful for you, I am sure of it…I should put you down for a rest.”

If he was being honest, it was only an excuse to escape from the situation he had gotten himself into. It was easier to feign ignorance when he was not surrounded by people that may understand both of their dialects. Remembering this fact, Tony straightened up and turned around, staring like a caught burglar at the fairly large crowd that had gathered around them. He felt sweat roll down the back of his neck as he subconsciously took a step back, realizing that he had offended the leader of this group of people _in front of them_. Theoretically, he knew that they were a fairly peaceful people, but Howard’s voice chanted inside of his head and hands _must_ have been reaching for Peter, so Tony twisted his body and growled again, weaker this time.

_Please, please do not take him from me_, Tony silently begged the crowd, accidentally letting out a quiet whimper of defeat.

He was running out of space to back up into. Just as he was about to hit the wall, arms came out of nowhere and picked him up, cradling him into a warm chest. Peter unlatched in the movement and began to cry again, which only caused Tony’s heart to ache more. Carefully, he held the baby as close as he could, turning his head into the warm chest to try and gather his wits. He soon realized that it was Thor who was carrying him, based on Alpha’s familiar scent. Knowing he was safe, Tony relaxed by a fraction and focused on keeping Peter safe in his hold until he could be put down.

“Steve?” he asked, his tongue heavy in his mouth.

Thor answered, but he did not quite hear it; he nodded anyway, figuring the Prime would follow them. Eventually, the castle came back into view and Tony wriggled, intending on walking by himself. He pouted when Thor refused to put him down and intended to make noise about it until he was gently placed on a cot and swarmed by Steve. The receding panic left Tony feeling groggy and unable to fight, so he lazily tried to swipe at him, only to have his hand grabbed by Bruce.

“Tony, easy. You had an attack,” the doctor said calmly, smiling when Tony met his gaze, “There you are. You scared Thor and Steve, you know. You were practically unresponsive on your way back to the castle…what happened out there?”

“Not…not really sure. I left Steve’s side to get Peter a doll,” he answered, shifting the baby so Peter was laying on his chest properly, “He yelled for me. I think he lost me in the crowd and got worried, but when I approached him, he grabbed my arm and dragged me off to yell—”

Tony let his eyes flutter closed and he let out a shuddery breath.

“—He growled at me to get me to pay attention even though I cannot understand him. I growled back. Then…then it becomes fuzzy,” he continued, finding that it was difficult to force his eyes back open, “I think I had another episode.”

“Another?”

Tony nodded and tried to sit up, grateful that Bruce stepped in to help resettle him.

“Sometimes, when Howard became particularly violent, I would experience what my godfather would call ‘episodes’…I lose time. I see things, hear things…hallucinations,” he explained, feeling uncomfortable with Thor and Steve’s gazes on them as Thor quietly translated under his breath, “Eventually it tires me out and it goes away. I… I think Steve’s yelling triggered it, but I am not sure. Only Howard had ever caused it to happen before.”

“That sounds like trauma, Tony,” Bruce said carefully, “I am sure it was very stressful to experience, but also, I would guess that the Prime did not mean to purposefully set it into motion. It sounds like he was worried someone had come along and taken you, as—”

He waved a hand at Tony’s bonding site.

“—you have not formally bonded yet. That does not excuse his behavior, of course. He is, as the Lieutenant says, a possessive idiot.”

Tony giggled and peeked over Bruce’s shoulder at Steve, biting back a full-on laugh at Steve’s sheepish look.

“I know. I know he is trying. This is new, for us both,” he said, looking down at Peter to watch the baby contently gum on his doll, “He had been so kind to us today, and I had to go and ruin it by fighting with him.”

“No, Tony, you were only standing up for yourself,” Bruce soothed, “It is a natural reaction. I am sure Steve understands and will help you have a relaxing evening to wash off this accident.”

Steve stepped forward on cue, pushed forward by Thor. He managed a small smile, but remained mostly unsure of himself, shifting from foot-to-foot. Tony took pity and beckoned him forward, picking up his hand to place on his cheek. Steve smiled then, stroking his thumb over Tony’s cheekbone before pulling him in one-armed, burying his face in Tony’s hair. It was meant to be sweet comfort, but Tony teared up at the gesture, overwhelmed by Steve’s willingness to take him in, even when he had publicly embarrassed the Alpha.

“I am so, so sorry, Steve,” he whispered, nosing lightly at Steve’s neck, “I will try to do better by you, I swear.”

Steve hushed him lightly and gently rubbed his back, reaching up to tug on the hair on the nape of his neck. He stepped back and helped Tony down from the cot, steadying him when he landed on unsteady feet. Tony ducked his head in embarrassment, shifting Peter around again so the babe was nestled upon his shoulder. He was surprised that Peter had been so easy-going, considering how hectic their day had been. Thankful, he pressed a kiss to the babe’s forehead and whispered to him that he was so good, such a sweet little boy—

“Perhaps you should retire for the evening, yes?” Bruce said, interrupting him, “Maybe some, ah, alone time together will help. I will have Thor send for someone to bring you both supper later.”

“Thank you, Bruce,” Tony murmured, managing a tired smile for the physician.

He let Steve lead him out of what he was assumed was the infirmary and down the hallway toward their bedroom. It was slow goings since he was feeling more lethargic with every step, but they eventually stumbled into the room. Once the door closed, Tony let out a sigh of relief and pushed off of Steve, attempting to take off his shirt single-handedly. After a minute of struggling, Steve stepped in, motioning toward Peter. Tony carefully let him take the babe before stripping down, too tired to care about his nudity. He took Peter back and trudged toward the bathroom, missing Steve’s wide eyes with his one-track mind.

“Alright, clean us up, then a small rest for us both,” he mumbled, attempting to undress the babe while preparing the bath.

Multitasking was difficult when crashing. He pitched forward a number of times, falling asleep on his feet. Seeing Tony struggle, Steve stepped in to help him, a hand on his elbow and on his waist. Slowly, he lowered Tony and Peter into the water, but he could see that Tony was lagging, having to lean against the side of the bath to stay upright. He took pity on the poor man and stripped down himself, making sure his shield was placed down carefully, unlike his clothes. The water was hot when he finally stepped in, sliding down behind Tony with a quiet moan as his sore muscles began to relax. Once he was settled, he tugged Tony back to rest on his chest, making sure that Peter was also safe and in reach.

“Mmm, tired,” Tony mumbled as Steve began to wash him and Peter, “S’nice. Y’hands feel good.”

He zoned in and out until it was time to get up, and even then, he struggled to focus. He felt like he was made of stone, heavy and clumsy as he let Steve take him and Peter back into the bedroom. First, Peter was dressed and put down in his bassinet, already fast asleep with his new doll tucked in next to him. Just watching the babe sleep put the final nail in the coffin; exhausted, Tony fell onto Steve’s bed, starfished out despite not having put on any new garments. A choked noise sounded somewhere off to his left, so he flapped an arm out until Steve took his hand. He pulled and rolled onto his back, no doubt having surprised the other with his strength since the bed bounced as if Steve had fallen and caught himself.

“Shh,” Tony hushed, blindly looping an arm around Steve’s waist and pulling the other man down on top of him.

Their hips ground together and he let out a soft sigh at the heat, moving Steve’s hand into his hair and turning his head to nose at Steve’s cheek. He dared not open his eyes lest he ruin the moment, but the Prime had not moved away, so he took it as an invitation to adjust them as he pleased. It took some shifting and wriggling for him to get comfortable under the new weight; his body was thrumming by the time he finally settled, hard and tense against Steve’s abdomen despite his exhaustion. He wanted to give into it and take the pleasure, even though in his subconscious he knew that once he crossed that line, there was no going back. There was something about physicality that pulled him in, but in the end, he had to admit that he needed the rest. If he still wanted Steve when he woke, he could accept it, since he knew he would be able-minded. Satisfied in his decision, Tony let his mind drift and he went under.

However, Steve did not find sleep as easily as his companion. The instant Tony had pulled him into bed he had been on high alert, heart pounding with nervous energy. Tony had not seemed to notice it, and Steve could not fault him: he could smell the exhaustion on the Omega. It would have been unlikely for Tony to see that he was flushed and choked up from their proximity in their nudity, but he was _sure_ Tony would have felt him hard and leaking against his hip when he pulled their bodies together. He had tried to control his breathing and keep his thoughts pure, as he figured Tony was really only seeking warmth and comfort. Then the asshole had to go and grind them together as he settled under Steve.

Fighting every instinct to take Tony right there, Steve had to carefully lay himself down as not to accidentally squish the Omega under his weight. He took Tony’s hand in his own and kissed his knuckles, selfishly taking the opportunity to kiss down his wrist and arm, up to his neck and cheek until he was hovering just above his lips. He could feel Tony’s breath mingling with his own, but guilt squeezed his throat and he backed down, instead ducking his head into the man’s neck. He could only take so much longer; Tony was tantalizing, teasing him and staying just out of his grasp where he could claim him. He _wanted_, so desperately and so deeply that the others had started to make comments about his thick scent.

And yet, if all Tony was willing to give him right now was this, he was going to take it, treasure it, hold it in his memory as he waited out the days until he earned Tony’s trust and consent.

With one last whiff of the Omega’s sweet scent, Steve tucked himself into Tony’s side and covered them up with warm furs, figuring that if Tony had begun the snuggles, he was allowed to continue them. He fell asleep with their legs entwined and his arm over Tony’s waist, somehow slotting together as if they had been going to bed with each other since the beginning of time itself. It was more than easy to fall asleep; he finally felt like he was coming home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warlords are called out on a mission, leaving Tony and Bruce to find companionship in each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this chapter taking so long. Life has been very hectic lately and finding the motivation to write during it can be difficult. I hope you enjoy this one while I begin the next :)
> 
> Tags updated as chapters updated. Beta'd by @lylilunapotter.
> 
> Comments and kudos are really appreciated! Ask me questions over @avengersasssemble on tumblr.com.

Tony woke under the first rays of morning light, groaning softly as he pulled and stretched his arms. He smacked his lips and fluttered his eyes open, enjoying the slight warm buzz of waking up in a warm bed. Content, he rolled over onto his side to go back to sleep, only to pause once he saw Steve sleeping next to him. The Warlord was snoring softly, twitching in his sleep as if he was deep in a dream. The movement dragged Tony’s eyes downward over Steve’s bare back and hips, coming to rest on the swell of his ass. It took a moment for his brain to catch up with him, and once he realized that he, too, was naked, drew in a sharp breath.

_ Oh gods, oh please, no— did he? Oh gods, he did, did he not? Shit— _

Sure that Steve had bonded him in his sleep, Tony shrieked and shoved the other man out of the bed, covering himself up with as many furs as possible. He heard Steve grunt and groan when he hit the floor, then saw his head slowly peek up over the side of the bed, eyes weary with sleep and confusion.

“I cannot believe that you would do that to me!” He half-whispered, trying to keep his voice down for Peter’s sake, “To—to take me when I cannot fight back, or say no—”

Steve had no reaction to him, save for a small sigh. He stood up and stretched—to which Tony found himself unable to look away—and shuffled to his closet, blindly grabbing clothes to toss onto the bed. He then picked out a second outfit for himself and tiredly trudged to the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind him.

_ That…was odd. _

He felt even more confused and hurt than before. First, he is bed, then ignored the next morning? Is this how Steve intended on treating him? With a sigh, Tony attempted to shift out of bed, being careful as to not agitate his delicates. Unfortunately, he quickly realized he was feeling no pain at _ all _, and after a cursory check, realized he had jumped to conclusions and had kicked Steve out of his own bed for no reason.

_Damn_ _it._

Embarrassed, Tony made up the bed, then went to check on Peter. The babe was still asleep, blissfully unaware of his father’s gaffe. He did not want to wake the infant, but he did not want to face Steve by himself, so he scooped Peter up into his arms and gently kissed his head, watching him slowly wake up.

“Good morning, darling. A quick change and then breakfast for you,” Tony said, carrying Peter into the bathroom.

He paused before opening the door, steeling himself in case Steve was still annoyed with him. The door creaked as it was opened, revealing the Warlord in a steaming bath, head back as he relaxed. Steve did not open an eye when they entered, but he smiled, which Tony took as a good sign. He made quick work of Peter, as the baby began to fuss as he woke up more. Tony barely picked him up from being changed when the babe started to cry, fat tears rolling down his chubby face.

“Shh, love, go ahead, you can eat without us,” He soothed, moving Peter up so he could latch on, “Poor thing, you must be—ah—so hungry.”

It hurt to let Peter feed on his sore nipples, but he did not have much of a choice; they went to bed early the night before, so the poor thing must have been starving. At least, given the force of the suction on his breast, that is what he assumed.

“Good boy,” Tony soothed, petting Peter’s wispy hair as they moved back out into the bedroom, “That’s it, take your time. No rush this morning, my love.”

Peter did not seem to care much, as he fisted his hands in Tony’s chest hair to keep himself anchored as close as possible. Tony sighed and attempted to dress himself, only managing underwear and pants before having to guide Peter away so he could dress the baby.

“I know, I know, I will let you eat more in a second,” he murmured when Peter began to cry again, making quick work of putting the baby into a new outfit, “There, all nice and clean. That is so much better, yes? Now you can be warm while you have breakfast. Let me finish getting dressed, then you can have some more, okay?”

He hurried to put on his nursing bra and a new shirt, scooping Peter back into his arms as soon as possible to comfort the clearly hurting babe. It took a second to wrestle with his clothes to get them into position, as he was still getting used to nursing. Once Peter finally latched again, Tony sat on the bed with a deep sigh, already exhausted just from getting ready for the day. He wanted to lay back down and rest, but the bathroom door creaked and caused him to immediately sit up straight, adrenaline shooting through him. Technically, he knew Steve was not angry with him, but old habits die hard and he curled his arms around Peter a little tighter. He dared not turn around and waited for Steve to approach, relaxing when he saw his smile.

“I apologize for earlier,” Tony murmured, allowing Steve to place a hand on his cheek, “I… jumped to conclusions. And that was in err. Please do not think less of me for it…”

Steve huffed and leaned down to press a kiss to Tony’s forehead, then moved down to kiss Peter. He smiled and tugged Tony up, placing a hand on his lower back to guide him toward the door. Stunned, Tony slightly dragged his feet, forcing Steve to nearly push him down the hallway. He reached up to touch the place on his forehead where Steve had kissed him, only to bring his hand down and look at his fingers.

_ Again? How can he even stand to look at me, let alone kiss my skin? _Tony thought, forcing his feet to move faster so Steve would not become suspicious of his tarrying.

Steve guided them into the dining hall, where a feast of a breakfast had been laid out. Clearly, most of the others had eaten already, as large swathes of empty plates littered the tables. Unfazed, Steve pulled out Tony’s usual chair for him, pushing him in once he had settled down. Surely, he thought he would have been used to the odd chivalry the Prime displayed, but Tony still found himself surprised, turning around slightly to watch the man begin filling new plates with food.

“Do you think I will ever get used to him?” Tony quietly asked Peter, peeking down his shirt at the lazily gumming baby, “Or do you think I will always be taken aback by him?”

“Good morning!”

The voice and a hand on his shoulder startled the hell out of Tony, causing him to jump and screech. Peter immediately burst into tears as he unlatched, no doubt just as scared as Tony was.

“Good gods, Thor, give a man some warning,” Tony managed, slumping down in his chair as he flicked his eyes up to the guilty-looking Warlord, “I do not know how such a large fellow is so light-footed, but _ gods _ did you give Peter and me a scare.”

“I apologize. You must have been deep in thought,” Thor said, sitting down on Tony’s right, “I was sure you heard me--Nevermind. I will make sure to approach you from the front as to not startle you again.”

“Thank you,” Tony sighed, bringing Peter out from his shirt to cradle up against his chest in the hope that it would soothe the babe, “So. What is on for today?”

“Ah, I need to discuss some things with--”

Thor stopped mid-sentence and stood once Steve approached the table, quickly switching into the Northern language. As he talked, his voice grew more hurried and frantic, as if he was not sure he had enough time to relay his message. Steve barely set their breakfast on the table before nodding and gesturing toward the door, following Thor as they talked amongst themselves. Within an instant, they were gone, leaving Tony and Peter alone in the dining hall. Tony sat there for a moment, blinking at the empty spot where Thor and Steve had just been.

“...Hello?” He called.

No response.

“Damn it.”

It annoyed him that the others had not included him in whatever was going on, but his stomach’s rumbles took precedence over curiosity. He tried to console Peter in one arm as he furiously ate the breakfast Steve had put before him, groaning in satisfaction after each bite. Really, he had never considered himself one to be too concerned with food outside of necessity, but the Warlords’ cuisine made him look forward to eating more than ever. 

“Okay darling, daddy’s all finished, I can pay attention to you now,” he soothed, leaning back in his chair to properly cradle the baby up against his chest, “You had your meal, you were changed, cleaned…. what else does one little babe need, hm?”

Peter huffed as he stuck a hand in his mouth to chew on, flailing his other arm up to beat on Tony’s chest. Laughing, Tony gave Pete his finger to hold onto, smiling at his boy’s antics.

“Shall we go find out what the Alphas are up to?” He asked, standing slowly as not to aggravate Peter, “It is not very kind of them to leave us out, you know. Nor is it kind to leave your betrothed at the table alone.”

The word left a bitter taste on his tongue; he was still warming up to the idea of being bound to Steve. Surely, he thought he might have come around after experiencing the Prime’s seemingly bottomless kindness, but commitment was difficult, especially for someone who had been abandoned before. 

_ Will I ever trust him to not leave me? _ Tony wondered to himself, letting his feet take him where they may while his thoughts roamed free, _ What if he takes another to bond and decides to break ours? Would he leave Peter and me? _

“Stop,” he chastised himself aloud, shaking his head as he grimaced at the floor, “None of that, Stark. This is no time for wallowing.”

“Tony?”

He snapped his head up at the voice, momentarily relaxing when he saw that his feet had guided him to Steve in the throne room. However, that calmness faded into fear as he took in the others and their paint, and _ especially _ took in the young man carefully painting lines onto Steve’s chest. Without thinking, Tony growled loudly, causing everyone in the room to jump at the Omega’s tone. The young man stumbled and dropped his paintbrush, scattering to hide behind the throne.

It was dead silent in the room. Heat blossomed onto Tony’s cheeks as he realized what he’d done, and soon after Steve burst into hearty laughter. 

“_ Tony _,” he teased, holding a hand out to beckon him forward, “Thank you, Tony.”

“It was an accident,” Tony grumbled, quickly crossing the room to take Steve’s hand, “It was a reflex. Do not let it go to your head.”

Steve merely smiled and dropped a kiss to the top of Tony’s head, making him pout and blush all the more. The other Warlords crowed and cooed at the sight, bringing up a pink tinge on Steve’s face. Tony took pity on him and squeezed his hand, giving him a small bit of comfort.

“Is everything alright? You left the dining hall so quickly,” he asked, nodding at Thor to have him join their conversation, “Do you need to leave? I want to know what is going on.”

“There has been a battalion sighted on our southern border,” Thor explained after translating to Steve, “Almost a hundred men on horseback. It is nothing serious; we have attacks like this often. However, with your status, the Prime wants to go to the field. If the battalion is of Howard’s men, it would be wisest for him to be leading us in. The Prime’s presence tends to put fear into men.”

Tony froze. Had Howard sent men to find him? Had he miscalculated his father’s negligence toward him? The thought of having to return home and face his father with Peter nauseated him to the point that he shuddered and hunched over, expecting himself to vomit out of fear.

“Tony?”

Steve’s voice sounded very far away despite Tony knowing that he was standing right next to him. He tried to talk, but his tongue was heavy, and his knees gave when he tried to move closer to whisper. If it were not for Thor and Steve’s quick movements, he surely would have dropped Peter. Rather, Thor took the babe as Steve helped lower Tony to the ground, keeping his head elevated in his lap.

“Shhh, Tony, shhh,” Steve soothed as he squeezed Tony’s hand and petted his hair.

_ He’s coming for me, I know it, _ Tony thought to himself, staring off at the far wall as he disassociated from his body, _ He’s come to bring me home and make an example of me. _

Tears leaked from his eyes, but he did not cry. He felt hollow as the acceptance of the worst fate imaginable set in his mind. No amount of petting or cooing from Steve brought him up, to the point that he began to scent strongly of sorrow and grief.

“Come now, Prince. You must not let yourself be so dramatic,” a voice said next to him, “Steve would never let him take you away, let alone get close to you. You will be safe in the castle while we are away. The good doctor will keep your mind occupied and your hands busy, and soon it will be like we had never even left. I promise you.”

Tony sniffled and looked up, blinking at Clint standing behind Steve. The archer raised an eyebrow and offered a hand, which Tony took to lever himself up with. Steve immediately stood up with him and kept his hands on Tony’s hips, as if to help keep him steady.

“We can only have one dramatic one in the kingdom,” Clint said, patting Steve’s shoulder, “Do not tell him I said that.”

“Thank you,” Tony laughed through tears, reaching up to brush them off of his cheeks, “I will try to keep that in mind. And have no worry--I would not tell on you.”

Clint nodded and stepped away, leaving them to their privacy. Steve made a wounded noise and leaned down to nose at Tony’s neck, still distressed from his scent. 

“Shh, I am alright. Merely scared at the thought of my father,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around Steve despite the paint still drying on his body, “It was not you, my darling, shh…”

Tony closed his eyes and tried to relax, forcing himself to think of something else: his friends at home, Peter, anything to get the thought of Howard out of his mind. Slowly, his body loosened, and he felt Steve begin to relax as his scent changed.

“That’s it. See? I am alright,” he soothed as Steve picked his head up, searching Tony’s eyes for something.

Tony looked to Thor and reached out, taking Peter back into his arms. He showed the baby to Steve, smiling when the Warlord relaxed once he could see that the babe was calm. In fact, Peter gurgled and moved an arm to wave at Steve, attempting to grab at his beard. Enthused, Steve leaned down, laughing at the baby’s weak grip. Tony’s heart filled with warmth at the sight.

“Tony. We need to leave,” Thor interrupted quietly, translating for Steve, “We will return in a fortnight.”

Tony nodded and looked up at Steve, attempting a smile for both of their sakes. 

“Come home safe,” he said softly.

Steve nodded once Thor translated, then suddenly looked over at him and waved his hand. Immediately, all of the people in the room dispersed, leaving him alone with Tony and Peter. Confused, Tony looked around, not understanding what Steve wanted, especially since he sent away the few people that allowed them to communicate effectively.

“Steve?” He asked, putting a hand on the man’s chest, “Are you alri--”

He was cut off by Steve leaning down to press their lips together, one hand coming up to rest on the small of his back. Tony squeaked in surprise, but after a moment his eyes fell shut as he kissed Steve back, going up onto his toes to chase Steve’s mouth when he tried to pull away. Demanding more, Tony growled and moved his hand to cup Steve’s neck, pulling him back down. Their teeth clicked together in a messy kiss, but he could not find it in himself to care; Steve tasted like sweet wine and spice and Tony craved more of the Northern flavors.

“Come home safe,” Tony repeated once they pulled away, panting as he ran his thumb over Steve’s swollen bottom lip, “Do not make me fall for you only to lose you.”

Steve moved his hand to squeeze Tony’s hip and smiled, leaning down to kiss Peter’s cheek before leading them outside. The cavalry had already gathered in the square outside of the castle, where Lieutenant Barnes was tending to a horse with no rider. Those gathered turned once Tony and Steve stepped out into the sunlight, and Barnes held out the reins for Steve to take as he easily hefted himself up onto his steed. Steve spoke to someone on his left and held out his hand, taking hold of his shield when it was handed to him and placed it on his back. Tony blinked and took in the image of the Prime Alpha on horseback, bathed in sunlight as the wind blew through the few strands of hair that had come loose from his braid. God, he was _ terrifying _.

But even Tony could not deny that he was attracted to him.

“Keep him safe,” he said to Thor, smiling at the Warlord’s nod, “I need him back in one piece.”

“Do not fret. The Prime has no trouble in battle, but if it brings you comfort to know that I am at his side, then I will be there,” Thor promised, “While I watch for him, keep an eye on the good Doctor for me. He gets into trouble without the rest of us around.”

He winked and tugged on his reins, guiding his horse toward the front of the pack. Steve raised an arm and followed with the entire cavalry behind him. He exchanged words with Thor, and with one last chant and cheer, the group galloped off, quickly disappearing over the horizon. Tony stood there for a time, just looking out in case they suddenly turned back. He shifted Peter up and distractedly nuzzled the baby’s cheek, managing a smile when Peter gurgled.

“You miss him already, my love?” He murmured, “He will come back. I know he will.”

“Come on, you two. Standing out here in the chill will only get you sick again.”

Tony sighed and turned to find Bruce standing behind him, smiling when he saw the wistful look on the doctor’s face. A small question wormed its way into his head, but he tucked it away, figuring that he may not get an answer if he were to ask Bruce outright.

“What do you do while the Alphas are gone?” He asked instead, walking back inside with Bruce.

“Work in my laboratory. Keep house with the others. If you would like, I can show you the rest of the castle. I heard through the vine that you might like to see our forge and armory--and, if you are interested, I thought we could start language lessons?” Bruce said, “Perhaps some basics to practice so you and the Prime can communicate outside of gesturing.”

“Oh, please, gods. Nothing annoys me more than not knowing what that man is thinking.”

Bruce laughed and clapped his hands, shaking his head fondly.

“That is how the rest of us feel, and yet we can speak to him,” he snorted, turning them down the stairwell to go down into the cellar.

“He keeps to himself?” Tony asked.

_ Any information I can get, I will take. _

“For the serious things, yes. He feels a lot of weight from leading the colony and believes he needs to shoulder it all himself,” Bruce said with a sigh, “Occasionally, Lieutenant Barnes can pry some sort of feelings out of him, but he mostly likes to stew. It can be heartbreaking sometimes, to watch him hold it all in when he knows we would all be there for him if he were to only ask.”

“He _ certainly _ will not be that way with me,” Tony said, to which Bruce laughed again, “What? I have no time for bottled-up emotions and brooding. If he wants to be that kind of Alpha to me, he can do that by himself.”

Bruce laughed harder and steadied himself against the wall, wiping away a stray tear before heaving in a deep breath. 

“You are going to be so good for him,” he said with a big grin, “That is, if you do not kill him first.”

“I doubt it. Have you _ seen _ him? He is enormous--”

Tony smiled as Bruce carried on laughing, stopping them in front of an open doorway. He gestured for Tony to enter, letting them walk into the armory. 

“This is where we store our armor and weapons… at least, the extra ones. The Warlords usually carry their regular weaponry on themselves at all times,” Bruce explained, “It looks a little empty right now due to them being away on a mission.”

“Do you know how the armor is made?” Tony asked, peering at one of the breastplates still left on a mannequin.

Peter reached out and grabbed onto the leather piece, giving it a few good tugs before Tony gently peeled his fingers away. He fussed for a moment, but Tony quickly kissed his cheek and hefted him up to his shoulder to more easily bounce him around the room.

“The leather is tanned and layered for mobility and strength, then overlaid with steel plates for extra protection,” Bruce explained, “Each set is custom-made to a person’s dimensions to make sure we do not have any waste materials.”

“And the Prime?”

Tony raised an eyebrow at Bruce, who clearly looked annoyed.

“Yes, I am aware of his proclivities to not wearing armor in the field. None of us approve. It is not only reckless, but it _ will _ get him killed one of these days. He says that his little skirt and boots are an image he needs to keep up, but I do not believe him one bit. If you ask me, he is almost tempting fate to come after him,” Bruce said, shaking his head.

“When he comes home, I will discuss it with him. I will not bond with somebody who is actively chasing a warrior’s end,” Tony promised, “It is not fair to me or to Peter to ask for a bond and then go out and die.”

“If you work these miracles, I will have our baker make you a cake the size of a wagon.”

Tony laughed and sighed warmly, turning to kiss the top of Peter’s head and rub the baby’s back. He whimpered and clutched at Tony’s shirt, tucking his head into his father’s neck.

“Oh, sweetheart, it is alright,” Tony soothed, patting his backside, “After our tour, we can have something to eat and a small nap, yeah? I bet the early morning has you about ready for sleep.”

“Do you want to go put him down now?” Bruce asked, peeking over at Peter’s sleepy face.

“No, no. We are already here, he can last a little longer. If he really was tired, he would be making a racket like you have never heard before,” Tony said, “Is the forge next?”

“Yes, right this way.”

Tony followed Bruce out of the armory and down the hallway until they hit the last doorway, from which they could see a golden glow. As they got closer, it began to warm, and Tony felt himself easily relax into the familiar heat.

“Wow,” he whispered aloud once they walked in, keeping a hand on Peter’s head so the baby would not look up at the bright embers, “It--It is _ huge _.”

“Clint is almost always down here crafting arrows or throwing knives for Natasha, Barnes tempers any new weaponry we recover from battle, and Sam, our falconer, makes tracking bracelets for his fleet,” Bruce explained, “We have many people who work in here, usually all at the same time.”

“I would love to put my hand to it,” Tony said honestly, eyeing up the tools set up on the side.

“Would you like me to hold Peter while you test it?”

Bruce held his arms out, and Tony knew he had no resistance to a good forge, so he carefully put Peter in Bruce’s arms, smiling at the baby’s gurgles.

“I will be right back for you, my love. Do not worry,” Tony promised, kissing Peter’s cheek.

“You are very good with him, especially for a first-time father,” Bruce said as Tony almost ran to the tools, “Did you have practice before the birth?”

“No,” Tony admitted, picking up a bar of steel with tongs to put into the burning coals, “I asked questions where I could, but there were eyes and ears everywhere. My friends--Pepper and Rhodey--they did everything they could to get information for me, but I did not want the suspicion to be on them as well. As it is, them assisting me in stealing Peter away was bad enough. If they were ever found out to have helped me escape, I have no doubt that they would be killed.”

“Why is Howard so bloodthirsty?”

Tony became quiet for a moment, moving the steel around the coals before transferring it to an anvil. 

“He did not use to be like that,” he said quietly, hammering the steel down, “He changed after I was born. He wanted an heir, yes, but not an Omega. To him, I was less-than, unworthy of being his successor. No matter who I bonded with, I was not going to continue the Stark line. I was going to be bonded to an Alpha, and then they would continue to rule in my stead. It broke him to know that our generational reign would end.”

“But could he not change the laws? Or have another child?” Bruce pressed.

“My mother was too old. I was lucky to have been conceived at all. As to the laws… my father’s bigotry outweighed any feelings toward me. He has always seen Omegas as secondary and he probably will until the day he dies.”

Tony punctuated his words with bringing down the hammer, then shoved the half-flattened steel back into the coals to heat up again. He only realized his scent had grown sour when Peter began to wail loudly, taking both men by surprise. Tony swore and dumped the hot steel into a bucket of water so he could run back over to the baby, scooping him up into his arms to comfort him.

“Shh, my love, I did not mean to upset you, I am alright, shhh,” he soothed, going out to the hallway to cool off, “Everything is okay. No need to cry, darling.”

“It really is a sight to see how connected you two are,” Bruce said, awkwardly changing the subject, “I knew that parent-child bonds were strong, but I have never seen anything like this.”

“We have already been through a lot,” Tony said, smiling down at Pete despite the baby’s continued cries, “I think without his mother here he has imprinted onto me.”

“Can I ask about her? The mother?”

“Can we get settled for lunch first? I think he is hungry.”

Bruce nodded and led the way back upstairs and to the dining hall, leaving Tony to pick a place to sit while he disappeared into the kitchen. Tony sat at his usual place and shucked up his shirt and opened the bra, not at all surprised at how easily Peter latched on. He sighed and winced at the dull ache radiating from his breast, but he would put up with it if it meant the babe would be sated.

“See? All better,” he said, petting Peter’s fine hairs.

The thought that Peter could sense his emotions was already a bit frightening, but after hearing the doctor’s observation, Tony wondered how strong their bond really was. Sure, he could sense when Peter was upset, but babies did not have very many emotions to express in the first place.

_ I suppose I will have to wait until he is older to see if I can read him in the way he can read me. _

The sound of the kitchen door opening drew Tony from his thoughts and he looked up, already beginning to salivate once he saw the full plates in Bruce’s hands. He barely let Bruce set the plate down before diving in and shoveling the food into his mouth. Sure, it was only rice and beans and some fruit, but _ gods-- _

“Please do not choke,” Bruce said, absolute judgment stamped on his face, “I do not want to have to figure out how to save you while also holding Peter.”

“Sorry,” Tony said around a mouthful, swallowing sheepishly, “I have not had any cuisine quite like this before. Howard always had bland food in the castle due to his indigestion. The only flavor profile he liked was sweet, so we had a lot of desserts and breads.”

“Then you should be very careful. If you have not been exposed to heavy spices for a long time, you may not have enough bodily resistance to their… unpleasant effects,” Bruce said, “I will try to see if our chef has other dishes that can expand your horizons without destroying your bowels. Fair?”

“Fair,” Tony sighed as he set his fork down and leaned back in his chair.

He peeked down to check on Peter, unable to help a smile at the baby’s sleepy eyes. He was so precious tucked up against his chest, slowly drifting off to sleep as he finished his meal.

“His mother was a local woman. Mary. A farmer’s daughter,” Tony said quietly, reaching up to stroke the back of his finger down Peter’s cheek, “She was one of the smartest people I have ever met. It was difficult for her, since Howard put so many gendered rules into place. We found camaraderie in her seeking knowledge and my need for validation in going against my father’s wishes. She picked up math and science easily, and we worked on various projects together, but we never thought of each other in a romantic sense. Even if it was not forbidden, we were friends, nothing more.”

“Then--what?” Bruce interrupted, only to wince under Tony’s gaze, “Sorry. Continue.”

“We only ever shared a bed the one time, and the only reason we did is that she went into Heat early, and if she went home, she would bond with… an unsavory individual,” Tony continued bitterly, “I could not let that happen to her. She hid out in the woods in an old cabin I managed to make comfortable, and I visited her every day to help her through the Heat. It was unbearable for her to have someone close but not be fulfilled… I knew that if it was my situation, I would have asked of her the same, so when she asked for my help, I said yes. And, as you know, Omegas are more fertile in heat. Which meant there was a large chance for pregnancy, even with preventative measures.”

“So she fell pregnant from unbonded Omega-Omega relations, of which one of those happens to be the Prince,” Bruce said, grimacing when Tony nodded, “Well, I would say that you may have very well succeeded in going against your father’s wishes, that is for sure.”

Tony laughed while pulling an almost-asleep Peter from his breast, rearranging his clothes so he could lean the babe against his chest to pat his back.

“More so, my friend. We knew we had to keep it secret. She worked as long as she could until her belly was swollen enough to be seen. Then, she hid out at the cabin until the birth. The only reason we ever managed to pull this off is my closest confidant, Rhodey, stepped in to pretend to be her Mate. I do not know how I did it, but I managed to make a type of perfume out of his scent, so she always smelled of him and kept other Alphas from getting too close to discover the ruse. When it came time for the birth, our other friend, Pepper, offered to be the midwife.”

“You were not there for his birth?” Bruce asked quietly, to which Tony shook his head, “That must have been awful.”

“It would have raised too many alarms. As it was, I had to sneak out of a fancy dinner to pack up my things, then climb out of my bedroom window so I could run to meet Pepper and Rhodey to take the baby that night,” Tony explained, “We knew he could never stay in the city because he would smell like me. We needed to hide somewhere, so our plan had been for Mary and I to run North in the hopes that the rumors of the Prime Alpha would be enough to keep Howard from sending troops after us.”

“And since Mary is not here…”

Tony bit his lip and nodded, tears immediately welling up in his eyes at the thought. He tried to wipe them away on his sleeve, but Bruce was fast on the draw and offered him a handkerchief. He took it without question and dabbed at his face, gritting his teeth to keep from outright bawling.

“I do not know how she died,” He said in a very small, scared voice, “But Pepper smelled so strongly of blood that I cannot help but assume she hemorrhaged. If we had been able to go to a doctor, she might still be alive, but--”

“Hey.”

Bruce reached over and took Tony’s free hand between his own, squeezing tightly. 

“It is not your fault,” he said, making sure to make eye contact with Tony, “She was smart, yes? Then she had every chance to go to the doctor or to expose the secret, but she did not. She assumed the risks, just as you did. Now you have to carry on, not only for her, but for Peter’s sake as well. He is going to need you more than ever now that that half of his bond is gone.”

Tony could only nod, as he was afraid to speak or he might burst into tears. Instead, he turned to kiss at Peter’s cheeks and rock the baby back and forth, holding him as tight as he could.

“My littlest love, my sweet boy,” he whispered, low enough so only Peter could hear, “I love you, darling, never forget that.”

He picked his head up when Bruce stood, allowing the doctor to help him up from his chair so he could find comfort in the man’s gentle touches. Together, they walked down to the Prime’s bedroom, where Tony could finally put Peter down in his bassinet for a nap.

“Is it time for a language lesson, Doctor?” Tony asked once they left the bedroom and had closed the door.

“If you want to begin now, yes, of course,” Bruce replied with a grin, “How do you feel about colors?”

When they began the lessons, Tony had to admit he was a little bit more than confused; not only was the vocalization of the Northern language completely different from the South, but the shapes of the words on parchment were strange and blocky, as compared to the South’s soft cursive script. It was a challenge to tackle, but he eventually found his footing, and from there he sped through grammar lessons. He learned most easily through immersion, so he and Bruce often frequented the markets speaking only in the Northern language unless he wanted to ask for the translation of a word he did not know. His mind soaked up the information, and after almost two weeks of engrossing himself in language books and literature, Tony was nearly fluent and able to hold complex conversations. He thanked his perfect memory and genius intellect for carrying the heft of the work, but he knew it was all going to be worth it when Steve came back home and they could _ talk _.

“Now, I have to ask,” Bruce said one day over a cup of herbal tea, “How do you feel about the Prime? In one moment, you fear him, and then the next you look like you were debauched by him. Which is it?”

Tony had spat out his drink and coughed deeply, waving away Bruce’s apology.

“I,” he said once he found his breath, “I think I am falling for him more than I thought I ever would. He looks at Peter and me with such a strange look in his eyes and a relaxed smile on his face… He already makes me feel valued. Perhaps my bar is too low, but if he keeps it up, he may make a wife out of me sooner than he thought.”

Bruce had laughed and Tony had shrugged it off, but now that they stood outside with Peter asleep in his arms, he could not help but think about what he said. Since Steve had left, Tony had found himself craving the Alpha’s scent, even though he had never really noticed it before. He cuddled Steve’s pillows, slept in his clothes and buried himself in Steve’s bed to try and keep the smell on him for as long as possible. 

It was torture to not have Steve there, and it did not affect only him: Peter began to fuss more. The only time the baby settled was when Tony tucked him in with one of Steve’s furs. So, outside of bed and nap times, Peter was a _ nightmare _. He cried and wailed until he was red in the face, turned away from feeding and wriggled during dressing, frustrating Tony to the point that he wished Steve had been home to work his magic to help settle the baby.

Finally, the call had come in that the cavalry had been spotted, so he and Bruce had rushed outside with Peter to wait. A crowd had gathered around and after a lifetime of waiting, cheers erupted from the front, waking Peter and startling Tony out of his thoughts. He quickly moved the baby up to his shoulder and stepped away from the noise, standing off to the side where he could watch the Warlords ride through. He thought it was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but the cheers dwindled into eerie silence once the clop of the horses’ hooves could be heard. Lieutenant Barnes led the procession, focusing more on his horse’s mane than the people or anything else around him. His gaze was distant, and once the other Warlords showed, Tony understood why.

They all looked wrecked.

Thor was spotting a black eye and gripped his reins with one hand instead of two. Clint’s arm was in a sling, and a man with a falcon perched on his shoulder sat behind him, most likely due to losing his mare. Natasha was the only one with her head held high as one jagged cut stretched across her cheek.

Then, there was Steve.

Tony thought the Warlord would have led the procession, but he was second-to-last, excluding the foot soldiers. He rode without holding the reins, one hand holding onto a rope attached to the horse behind him and the other tucked up against his chest. His nose was mottled an ugly blue and yellow, and Tony gasped once Steve was close, for he could see that his braid had been sliced off and dried blood was visible on the back of his head. The group stopped in the city square, surrounded by their silent subjects.

“We won,” Steve said, picking his head up to roaring cheers.

He held up a hand and the crowd quieted.

“We lost a few soldiers,” he continued roughly, “Natasha will provide a listing so the families can grieve. For now, we will rest. And as consolation--”

He tugged on the rope to bring the horse forward, showing the crowd a person with a bag over their head and their hands tied behind their back. They did not move nor flinch when the crowd’s noise picked back up again, displaying either an incredible amount of self-control or they were able to sleep sitting upright.

“We--” Steve motioned for the crowd to silence again, “We have taken a prisoner from the Stark Army. If we come to know anything important, I will make an announcement. For now, go home. Rest. Heal. That is all.” 

Tony stared as the crowd dispersed, completely bewildered by what had just occurred. He caught Bruce’s eye and quickly waved him over, meeting the doctor halfway.

“What was _ that _?” Tony whispered, eyeing the Warlords as they dismounted and led their horses to be taken by stableboys, “Is that it? No great toasts? No glory in victory?”

“The Prime… can be strange about these things,” Bruce said, “Deaths weigh heavy on him. He feels responsible for the safety of the entire army, even though it is impossible for him to protect everyone at once. I have also never seen them come back this beaten up. Something must have gone wrong. Come, let us go meet them.”

Tony followed Bruce over to the group and acknowledged them with a wave, only smiling when Thor turned to beam at him.

“My friends! It is good to see you in good health,” he said in the Southern language, “How was our homeland while we were gone?”

“It was well. I think we had a good time,” Bruce said, accepting a hug from the giant, “I am sad to see you all so dreary and hurt--I want to look all of you over and get a full report of what happened out there.”

“Of course. You should attend to Clint first, for his arm was broken in the heat of battle…”

Thor’s voice died as he and Bruce led Clint away and into the castle, leaving Tony alone with the others. Steve looked at Natasha and nodded toward the prisoner, to which she happily took off of the horse and led them away by the rope. Barnes and the falconer--

_ Sam _ , Tony thought to himself, _ His name is Sam. _

Barnes and Sam both looked to Steve, who gave them a half-smile before finally settling his eyes on Tony.

“Every time I look at you, my heart feels so much lighter,” Steve sighed fondly, unaware that Tony could understand him, “You are such a treasure to come home to, little rabbit. You and Peter.”

Tony raised an eyebrow and looked over at Sam and Barnes’ stony faces, wondering if they managed to keep their faces calm because they were so used to Steve waxing poetic about him. He winked and Barnes’ eyes went wide, then Sam doubled over in laughter when the two men realized what was happening. Steve looked between the three of them, absolutely confused.

“Huh?-- Sam, what is so funny?” He whined, “What did you _ do _?”

“Nothing, nothing. We merely have trouble keeping it together sometimes when you talk of your new plaything,” Barnes said, winking back at Tony.

“He is _ not-- _ He is not a plaything. He is going to be my mate for _ life _ , Bucky. I chose him. He is so incredibly brilliant and loving, and he actually gives a shit about our baby and the future for our child, so _ back off _,” Steve growled, his good hand forming a fist at his side.

“That is quite an extensive list, darling, but I think you also forgot ‘exquisite and handsome’,” Tony quipped, “And I did not know that you _ also _ fathered Peter, or did I miss something?”

Steve’s eyes went wide and the other men burst into raucous laughter, having to hold onto each other to keep from falling over. Tony watched as Steve’s cheeks grew rosy, so he closed the gap between them, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Come, darling. We have a lot to catch up on,” Tony said softly, smiling at Steve’s still bewildered look, “Beginning with Bruce teaching me a few pointers on how to speak like a Northerner.”

“I--I see,” Steve managed, tripping over his own feet in an effort to get closer to Tony, “You--you sound _ wonderful _, I never thought--”

“That I would learn? Darling, you clearly do not know me yet,” Tony laughed, squeezing Steve’s shoulder, “You will learn soon.”

“I… look forward to it,” Steve said, placing a hand on top of Tony’s, “All of it.”

“Can I ask a question?”

Steve nodded, jogging forward to open the castle doors for Tony and Peter.

“Little rabbit?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, yes,” Steve muttered, his cheeks somehow turning a darker shade of pink, “It is your nickname, if you would like. I thought it was fitting… because you are so jumpy. Like a little rabbit.”

Tony felt a bit guilty at that, blushing some himself.

“I do not mean to be,” he apologized, leading them to the bedroom so he could set Peter down in his bassinet, “I have had fear beaten into my bones. I do not trust many regular Alphas as it is, but a Prime? Especially one with such a backstory? Even if I do not feel afraid, I think my subconscious is. I am working on it, though. I have found that not having you here these past weeks was more than stressful.”

“Oh?”

Steve winced as he shuffled into the bathroom and attempted to strip off his shield and dirty garments. He groaned quietly and leaned against the sink, looking more pitiful by the second.

“Let me. I can dress your wounds,” Tony said softly.

He carefully took the shield off and set it aside, then pulled off the boots and skirt, tossing them into the corner. Immediately, the state of Steve’s body became clear: his bruises stood out against his pale skin, and once Tony managed to get him to lower his arm, the deep gash in his side looked like a tiger took its claws to his skin.

“Do you have a medical kit in here? I need to clean this,” Tony said, probing around the wound despite Steve’s grunts, “What happened to you? To your braid?”

“You saw the man we captured?” Steve asked, continuing at Tony’s nod, “He chose to stay and fight when the others retreated. Challenged me one-on-one. He almost beat me, too. Managed to lop off my braid and slice my side, but he was too angry. Not having a clear head can make you clumsy and misjudge your steps. I caught him when his lunge was too deep. Too much strain on the back leg.”

“Did you hurt him?”

Steve shook his head, moving to retrieve the medical kit from the cupboard. 

“I really do not enjoy hurting others,” he said, “This life… is not the one I wanted. But it is the one I have been chosen to lea--_ouch_, ah, _oh_ _gods--_”

“Sorry, sorry,” Tony apologized, wincing as poured alcohol over the gash, “Have to clean it properly. Infection can kill you, you know.”

Steve bit down on his lip and nodded, letting out a shaky breath once Tony was done. Tony patted his side and readied a needle with thread, eyeing up how he was going to stitch the wound. 

“This is going to scar,” he sighed, “At least the cut is clean. It will be easy to stitch up--here.”

He stood and got to an angle where he could still stitch and gently guided Steve’s head to his neck, knowing he was putting him right at his scent gland.

“Omega pheromones help block pain receptors, but do not get too bitey while you are there.”

He heard Steve whimper and he smiled, forcing himself to relax in the hopes that a calm aura would keep him sated through the procedure. Unfortunately, the cut was long, which meant that he would need at least twenty stitches, and the longer it took to stitch him the longer Steve would be at his gland.

_ Gods help me, _ Tony thought to himself as he began to work.

Immediately, Steve’s hand latched onto his hip and dug in, conveying his pain despite not making a sound. Tony shushed him as best as he could and tried to focus on the stitches, despite having to smell Steve’s pain and agony. He finished the last stitch and carefully covered the whole wound with bandaging, wrapping it around Steve’s waist to help keep it in place.

“It is done, darling, you will be alright,” Tony soothed, patting the hand that had loosened around his hip, “Is that the only one? None on your back?”

Steve sluggishly picked his head up and blinked, furrowing his brow as if confused at the question. Tony sucked in a breath once he saw how dilated Steve’s eyes were, hoping it was only from his scent and not from shock.

“Okay, how about we fix your hair and clean the slice on your head?” He tried, “Then you can have a quick sponge bath before we go see Bruce.”

He guided Steve to the tub and sat him on the edge, hesitantly pulling his hands away to make sure the Alpha would sit upright. After grabbing the surgical scissors from the medkit and more alcohol, Tony stepped into the tub to stand behind Steve and begin cleaning the head wound.

“Oh, this is very superficial. It will heal and crust by night,” he said, “Nothing hurts, yes?”

Steve managed a positive grunt, so Tony moved onto cutting his hair. The braid had been sliced clean off, but the hair left behind was now shaggy, with short pieces in the back and slightly too long pieces in the front. He took a minute to devise a plan and then began to trim it all down into something more cohesive that he could then slick back into a flat mohawk. Once he was done, he stepped out of the tub to look.

_ Damn, am I good, _ he thought to himself, finding himself a bit more attracted to the short hairstyle.

“Tony?” Steve slurred, reaching a hand out toward him.

“Yes, darling, I am right here. You are drunk on an unbonded Omega’s pheromones, sweetheart,” Tony said, taking Steve’s hand to squeeze, “It will take a bit for the Alpha reaction to leave your system--let us get that sponge bath done, yes? Then you can see Peter and Bruce, I promise.”

Steve tried to pull Tony into his lap, but Tony lightly smacked his hands, keeping the Alpha in check while he bustled around the bathroom. He ran the bathwater after cleaning up the mess from the haircut, then found a cloth to use, only to turn around and see Steve sliding down into the water with a groan.

“Hey! You got your bandage wet. You know I will have to put a new one on, right?” Tony scolded.

Steve only hummed and sunk into the water, hissing at the heat on his bruises. Tony shook his head and sighed, sitting down on the outside of the tub so he could idly start washing him down.

“So it was Howard’s men?” He finally asked, “They were looking for me?”

“They wanted to know if we had killed you and the child,” Steve answered with a frown, “However, they did not ask it in a way that was… angry? It was more of a cordial question than a demand.”

“Howard probably wanted you to do the dirty work for him,” Tony said bitterly, picking up Steve’s arm to gently scrub down, “Maybe he would have given you a reward.”

“Either way, I was taken aback by the question, but Thor assured me he had a good reply. He said his piece, and then the army charged.”

“He does have a way with words.”

Steve laughed, leaning his head on his shoulder so he could smile at Tony.

“At least it is over, and despite our losses, we did manage to capture their strongest man,” he said, trying to reassure Tony, “Perhaps you should see him with me. If you know him, you could give advice on how to get information from him.”

“Are you going to torture him?” Tony asked, “I do _ not _want to be a part of that.”

“Oh, no, no no. That would be Nat’s job--sorry, Natasha’s job. However, most people we have captured over the years have chosen to stay in the colony. There is a kind of freedom here that you cannot find anywhere else in the world.”

Steve snaked a hand over the side of the tub to cup Tony’s face, smoothing his thumb over Tony’s cheek.

“I am glad you came to us, Tony,” he said softly.

Tony managed a brittle smile and leaned in to kiss him, hoping to distract the Alpha long enough for him to swallow his nerves. He knew there had to be some truth to all those Warlord rumors, even if Steve admitted that he did not like his role. Senseless violence made him feel sick, and even knowing that someone was sitting in a cell downstairs, possibly afraid for their life, made his stomach churn.

“We should get you cleaned up and be re-bandaged. I do not want to leave Peter out there alone for much longer,” Tony said softly when he pulled away.

Thankfully, Steve gave no further comment and allowed Tony to help him, but once again grabbed his hand when he ventured to clean his skin under the water. 

“I can do that part. You go get the little one, and maybe new clothes for me?” He asked sheepishly.

“Why do you not want me to?” Tony asked in return, raising an eyebrow when Steve’s face colored pink, “It is not like it is something I have not seen before.”

“I, ah, do not want you to, you know--”

Steve waved a hand in the air, becoming more flustered by the second.

“--I am quite sensitive,” he finally squeaked out.

Tony stared at him for a moment, then had to bite his lip to force down his laughter. It may not be funny to Steve, but to him it was _ hilarious _ . An Alpha, nervous about his knot? _ Ha! _

He quickly schooled his face when Steve glared at him, wondering if Steve had been able to read his thoughts. With a fake cough and a nod, Tony stood and scurried out to the bedroom, waiting until he had Peter upon his shoulder so he could laugh into the baby’s cheek.

“Can you believe that? The Prime Alpha, the King of the Warlords, shy about his knot?” He whispered, checking Peter’s undergarments to make sure he was still clean, “I have seen him, and let me say, he has no need for any sort of timidity.”

Peter only babbled and cooed in response, which made Tony laugh all the more. He sighed and went to grab Steve his change of clothing, placing the bundle on the floor inside the bathroom before closing the door behind him to give Steve some privacy. Tony used the time waiting to find Peter’s wrap and tie to baby to his chest, figuring he may need both of his hands when they go see the prisoner.

“I hope if you are there, things will go over more smoothly,” he said to the baby, dancing them around the room, “Perhaps they will be kinder if a babe is present.”

“Are you alright?”

Tony turned toward Steve, offering up a small smile as the dressed Warlord approached him and put a hand on his back.

“Yes, we are all well. Merely talking to him--talking to babies is important for their development,” he explained, stuffing down his nerves into a bottle, “He is always calmer when he hears my voice.”

“I think I am as well,” Steve said, grinning at Tony’s eye roll, “What? I may not have been able to understand you at first, but even the rasp of your voice--”

He stuttered for a moment and cleared his throat, nervously sliding his hand down to the small of Tony’s back before retracting it completely, unsure of himself. Tony grabbed his hand and placed it on his back again, smiling when Steve seemed to gain a little more confidence.

“You are allowed to touch me, you know. I will not break if you want to caress me,” he said quietly, “If you feel affection for me, hold me. I… I like to be held. I like when you sneak forehead kisses when you think I am asleep. Having you, the Alpha, be so careful and tentative with me… it’s sweet. It means you _ care _. And I like that.”

Steve was about as red as a spring poppy and starting to smell of embarrassment, which made Tony giggle and put a hand on Steve’s cheek.

“Now be kind to whoever this person is when we go down there,” he said seriously, hardening his tone, “Regardless of being one of Howard’s men, I refuse to be apart of something violent. Understand?”

“O-of course, little rabbit, I will make sure we treat them right,” Steve stammered, “I--I will not let them do anything you would not allow, I promise--”

Tony patted his cheek and tugged him down for a kiss, effectively shutting up his stammering. It seemed to be a good distraction, because Steve went quiet and got a dopey look on his face as he led them out of the bedroom and down to where they were keeping the prisoner. Before they could go in, Steve stopped them and poked his head in, most likely checking out the scene. He then opened the door all the way and stepped in, allowing Tony to pass.

Only Natasha and the prisoner were in the room. It was a bedroom, but the prisoner was tied to the desk chair, the burlap sack still over his head. Natasha barely blinked at them coming in and lightly kicked a leg of the chair.

“He has not said a word,” She said, clicking her tongue, “I figured I would wait for your call since this more… personal.”

Her eyes flickered to Tony for only a second, but it was enough to make him feel nervous about what she would do to a person had someone else not been involved. He swallowed and stepped closer to Steve, holding Peter a little tighter when she raised an eyebrow.

“Take off the sack,” Steve said, “Let’s see him.”

Natasha nodded and strode over, plucking the bag off the man’s head. Immediately, Tony shrieked in delight and ran over, plopping himself side-saddle into the man’s lap and hugging him close one-armed. 

“Oh, my sweet, sweet honey bear, I thought I would never see you again,” he whispered in his native tongue, tears welling up in his eyes and spilling over his cheeks, “What did you _ do _?”

He leaned back and turned his watery smile to Steve and Natasha, not budging from his new spot.

“This is James Rhodes,” he explained, sniffling and wiping his tears away.

“Rhodey,” Rhodey grunted from under him, “Could you get off? You’re heavy.”

“No. I am not letting you out of my sight again.”

“Translate, please, not all of us are good at languages,” Steve grumbled.

“He goes by Rhodey. He is one of my closest friends in the whole world. He helped me escape,” Tony explained, elbowing Rhodey when he started to make comments under his breath, “The problem is, he is _ not _ part of the King’s Army. And I want to know why he is even _ here _.”

He turned to glare at Rhodey, who only gave him and Peter a tired smile.

“The squirt looks good. You did good, Tones,” he said, “Can you untie me now?”

“Why were you out with the scouting party?” 

Rhodey grimaced, eyeing Steve and Natasha over Tony’s shoulder.

“Pep was worried. We started hearing rumors about you being captured and such, so when we saw a chance to maybe check up on you, we took it. Plus, I got to knock out Justin Hammer and steal his armor. I think it was a win-win plan all along,” he explained, “And just because I am not in the formal army does not mean I am not skilled with a sword. I put up a good fight.”

“You got captured.”

“I cut him a few times.”

Tony sighed and turned around on his lap, ignoring Rhodey’s grunts of discomfort. He opened his mouth to explain what they said, but he was immediately assaulted with the scent of jealousy, coughing and moving his shirt above his nose to try and block it.

“Is he seriously doing that right now?” Rhodey grunted, earning another elbow to the gut, “What, are you buddy-buddy now?”

“Shut up,” Tony hissed, “I will explain later, but _ shut up _.”

Thankfully, Rhodey quieted down and Tony got up, keeping his shirt over his nose as he went back over to Steve. He patted his chest and pulled him out of the room, ignoring Steve’s petty behavior.

“Are you jealous that Rhodey is an Alpha?” Tony asked once they were alone, rolling his eyes when Steve’s eyes went wide, “Oh, do not take me for a fool. All Alphas growl over their territory when another approaches. He and I are friends, not bondmates, and we never would be, anyway.”

He wrinkled his nose at the thought.

“If anything, you should be grateful, since he put together my escape plan _ and _ put himself in danger for both Peter and I,” he continued, “He snuck his way onto the search party to see if he could get information about my well-being, and instead ended up getting captured. Please, he is--”

He choked up and bit his lip to try and calm himself, pinching the bridge of his nose to keep from crying more. Hands snaked onto his hips as Steve drew them together, mindful of Peter between them. He kissed Tony’s forehead and did the same with Peter as he rubbed Tony’s sides to try and help comfort him.

“He is important to me,” Tony managed to whisper, unable to speak any louder for fear of breaking down completely, “He is important to _ us. _ And he can help. He knows--he knows a lot about Howard. You do not need to _ torture _it out of him--”

The thought of Rhodey getting hurt because of him, because he had to run away to this man, broke Tony’s heart. He leaned into Steve and cried into his shirt, but a knock on the doorframe made him jump and gasp.

“Hey,” Rhodey said quietly, now untied and freed thanks to Natasha, “None of that now, Mama. You know Peter will get upset if you start to scent badly.”

“Sorry, sorry--”

Steve eyed Rhodey, but he willingly stepped aside, allowing him to move into his place to draw Tony into a hug. Before he could get too far, Tony reached out and grabbed Steve’s hand, squeezing tightly to find comfort. They stood quietly until Tony pulled away, smiling as he wiped away his last tears. 

“So, how do you all get along?” Rhodey asked, “Did they just… let you stay here? Are you friends with them?”

Tony squirmed at that and stepped closer to Steve, letting him put a hand on his hip. He offered a sheepish smile, and after a second, realization smacked into Rhodey’s face and he gasped.

“You did _ not _.”

“Not yet. We will. At some point.”

“Tony!”

“I did not exactly have a _ choice-- _”

“Did he bond you without your consent? If he did, I’ll kill ‘im, I swear.”

Tony rolled his eyes and tugged down his shirt to show Rhodey his virgin glands, then flipped him off.

“They are all… quite nice, actually. You would be surprised,” he said, “Really. I mean it. They do not care about same-designation relationships. They are sort of like one big family, and we got folded into it. I...I think I am happy here, Rhodes. At least, I think I would be happier here than back with Howard.”

“So you just happened to get down with the Prime Alpha?” Rhodey asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“He asked for me,” Tony said quietly, “He… he saw the scarring on my back, and said if I was to stay, he wanted to take care of me. Of _ us _. He needed a wife, and I can be that to keep Peter safe. And, after the first few days, I… I am okay with it. Really. He tries, he really tries, and he is not your typical Alpha.”

“Is his dick big?”

“He will not show me his knot. He is embarrassed by it.”

“So he has a small dick.”

“I did not say that either, and Peter is _ right here _, so watch your language.”

“What are you saying?” Steve asked.

Tony giggled and reached around to pat his backside, enjoying Rhodey covering his eyes.

“He is asking normal questions for Rhodey,” he explained, “He is making sure I am not a slave or being held against my will or anything like that.”

Steve looked surprised, but then made a face of understanding and nodded, leaning down to kiss his cheek. Rhodey made a gagging sound from somewhere behind them but Tony ignored it, nuzzling into Steve.

“Thank you,” he murmured, “For not killing him.”

“You know I do not enjoy doing that. At all. People are not killed on these grounds, if I can help it,” Steve said, “I swear, whatever you have heard about me and my family is not true. We fight to stay free, but nothing more than that. Not ever. I would not allow it.”

“I know, I know. I am starting to accept that. It may take Rhodey longer… he has watched over me for a long time and can be suspicious of others’ intentions. You might have to pull out the stops to impress him, yeah?”

“For you, anything.”

“If I have to watch you two start scenting each other in this hallway, I am going to throw up,” Natasha commented flatly.

“I do not know what she said, but I think I agree,” Rhodey said.

Tony laughed and Steve immediately pulled away, but he linked their hands together, keeping some contact between them.

“Let me go find Thor and Bruce to help with translation, and we can move upstairs for food and talk,” Natasha said, “I think the boys will enjoy having a new person around to annoy.”

“He and Sam will get along well,” Tony mused, “Why not take him with you? I am sure Clint’s translations will suffice for the moment.”

He switched languages and explained what was happening to Rhodey, giving him another hug before sending him on his way with Natasha. They disappeared around the corner, and Tony found his mouth being attacked, with Steve’s hands eagerly grabbing his hips to pull him closer.

“Okay, _ okay _ , I get it, no need to be so jealous, Alpha,” Tony giggled, squealing when Steve tried to bite at his earlobe, “Alright! Not around the baby, not around the _ baby _\--”

He laughed more and happily kissed Steve over and over again, thankful that what he thought would be a gruesome day turned out okay. Peter seemed to agree with the sentiment and gurgled his thoughts, earning just as many kisses from both Steve and Tony.

“Ready to eat?” Steve whispered, putting their foreheads together.

“I hope you mean dinner.”

“Tony!”

Tony laughed harder and leaned into Steve’s shoulder, feeling the heat radiate off the man’s face. He sighed happily and pulled away, grabbing Steve’s hand to guide him toward the staircase. He felt… _ good _. Warm. Safe. 

Things he has not felt in a long time.

He stopped them in the middle of the staircase and turned to face Steve, looking up into his eyes. They were so, so blue, clouded with confusion, making him seem more like a small puppy than a Warlord. 

“Everything okay? Tony?” Steve asked, searching his eyes.

“Tonight,” Tony said simply.

Steve’s brow furrowed, and then he gasped, clutching onto Tony’s arms in shock.

“What? So soon? But--no, you do not really mean it--really?” He whispered, “I thought… We can wait, _ I _can wait, I would always wait for you--”

“I am sure, I really am,” Tony shushed, petting Steve’s cheek, “I thought about it while you were away, and… I want it. I want this. I want _ you _. I will get Peter arranged with Bruce, okay?”

“O-okay, okay, if you are sure,” Steve said, pulling Tony back in to hold him and Peter close, “If you change your mind by tonight, it is okay. I do not want you to feel pressured.”

“I trust you to let me back off if I want to. Now, let us go eat, okay?” Tony laughed, “No more talk of this. Our little secret until the morning. Promise?”

“Promise,” Steve whispered back.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has to deal with Alpha pissing contests (metaphorically speaking) and uses his bonding ritual to drown out Rhodey's news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags updated as chapters updated. Beta'd by @lylilunapotter.
> 
> Comments and kudos are really appreciated! I really do read all of the comments but I usually forget to answer... oops.  
Ask me questions over @avengersasssemble on tumblr.com.

As soon as he walked into the dining room, Tony became increasingly aware of just how loud the Warlords could be: Sam was pounding the table in roaring laughter at something Bucky had said, Natasha was tending to Clint while talking to him and Rhodey, and Thor and Bruce were attempting to have their own conversation overtop of the noise. It was loud enough to make Peter shift and whimper in his carrier, so Tony quickly unwrapped him and cradled him close, shushing him while Steve went off to try to get the others to quiet down.

“I know, love. The noise is something awful, yeah?” He murmured, giving Pete his finger to hold onto, “Do not worry, Papa will make it better for you. Then we can all sit and ea--”

Tony froze and nearly snapped his neck in turning to look at Rhodey. The realization that he was most likely going to have to feed his son in front of him made his face flare red with embarrassment. Sure, Rhodey was his best friend and had seen everything at least once, but Tony had no idea how he would react to the new development. Steve signaled him from the table and Tony sighed, resigning himself to his fate as he trudged over to sit between Steve and Rhodey.

Without looking, Rhodey’s arm snuck around Tony’s waist and pulled him in, a long-standing reflex for them. Tony smiled and leaned his head on Rhodey’s shoulder, inhaling his friend’s warm scent as Rhodey turned to bump their foreheads together so he could look down at Peter.

“He looks just like you,” Rhodey said, gently running his fingertips over Peter’s downy hair, “That’s your eyes and nose, for sure.”

“And chubby cheeks,” Tony confirmed, giggling when Rhodey lightly pinched his side. 

Steve cleared his throat next to them and Tony jumped away, blushing deeply and casually pushing down Rhodey’s hand from his side. 

“He’s jealous of you, darling,” Tony said to Rhodey, keeping his voice down, “He’s… possessive. Especially when he cannot understand us.”

“Really? How could you tell?” Rhodey drawled, putting his arm back around Tony and tugging him back in, “And since when have I been afraid of another Alpha vying for your attention?”

“You know  _ I  _ do not mind, but I do not want him to get angry with you since I am  _ technically  _ betrothed to him.”

Rhodey winked and snuggled himself closer, tucking his head into Tony’s neck to scent him. Tony grumbled, but it had been so long since he had seen his best friend, so he carefully did not look at Steve and pretended like he was not aware of what was going on. Instead, he turned to his dinner, making sure to pay attention to Peter while he ate. The one time he snuck a look at Steve, the Prime was staring back at him, his eyes seeming to bore into his soul. He quickly looked away, unsure if the feeling in his stomach was fear or guilt.

Eventually, Tony knew he was going to have to feed Peter, but the thought of doing it around Rhodey with Steve watching made him more uncomfortable as the seconds ticked by. He squirmed for a moment and then stood from the table, excusing himself in both languages before fleeing to the bedroom. Footsteps were hot on his heels and it was easy to tell who had followed him; without turning around to acknowledge him, Tony sat down on their bed and shucked up his shirt and bra, carefully moving Peter into place with a soft whimper.

“If you are going to make a fuss, try not to be too harsh. If Peter starts wailing, Rhodey will come running and I do not want him to know that I am feeding him like this,” he said quietly, turning his eyes up to meet Steve’s piercing gaze.

Steve growled and closed their bedroom door, keeping his back to Tony as he gathered himself. Once he turned around, Tony offered up a small smile, holding his hand out to beckon Steve over. He wiggled his fingers, taking Steve’s hand once the Alpha was close enough.

“Sit with me,” Tony murmured, tugging on his hand, “Keep me warm.”

Steve rolled his eyes and sat, curling his own arm around Tony. He felt different from Rhodey; he felt comfortable with them both, but with Steve, there was a small buzzing underneath his skin. It was not uncomfortable, nor unpleasant, but it was definitely there. He wanted to lean into it, to see what it felt like if he held it, but every time he tried to grab for it it was just out of reach. 

“I am sorry if he makes you feel jealous, darling,” Tony said, snuggling into Steve’s side to rest his head on his shoulder, “He trusts you about as much as you trust him, and you have seen what lengths he will go to to try and make sure I am safe. Though I figure that you could hold your own, I still do not want you two to fight.”

“I cannot promise everything. You are mine and I plan to keep it that way,” Steve growled, slipping his hand under Tony’s shirt to caress his hip, “I  _ will  _ fight to have you, even if it happens to be against your closest friend.”

“Idiot. He is not trying to take me from you,” Tony scolded right back, leaning back up to look at Steve, “He knows that we are betrothed and he is not stupid enough to try and break that.”

His voice softened and he reached up to cup Steve’s cheek, moving his fingers over to gently prod at his bruised nose. Steve hissed but did not move, pouting until Tony took his hand away.

“You poor thing. You look like you were run over by multiple carriages,” he said to change the subject, smiling at Steve’s laugh.

“I feel it. Your friend--Rhodey fights well,” Steve said, correcting himself, “He has good form.”

“Too bad  _ he _ is not the Omega, then.”

Steve gave him a look and Tony failed to suppress a giggle, leaning over to nose at the Prime’s neck. He heard Steve sigh and he purred, daring to flick out his tongue at Steve’s scent glands. 

“Tony!” Steve gasped, hand tightening on Tony’s hip.

“Yes?” He answered, gently laving his tongue over the spot.

Steve panted and tried to not move too much, afraid of Tony pulling away or Peter unlatching on accident. He whimpered and Tony scraped his teeth over the glands, licking his lips as he leaned back.

“Never doubt my loyalty again, or you will regret it,” Tony said, unwavering in his eye contact with Steve.

“Y-yes, Omega, I mean--I will not doubt you, not ever,” Steve said quickly, losing all concentration as blood was dragged from his brain and down into his gut.

After a second or two of silent staring, Tony nodded and sat up fully, turning his attention back to Peter. He petted the babe’s hair and tried to ease him away, cooing over him as he put him up on his shoulder to pat his back.

“Such a good boy, doing so well eating,” he praised, tugging his clothing back into place between pats, “Your mama would be so proud of you, darling--”

Tony bit his lip and tucked his face into Peter’s cheek, taking a moment to breathe in the baby’s fresh scent. He had thought much more about Mary in the past weeks than he had when she had died. After Bruce had asked him to talk, he had begun to see all the little bits of Mary in Peter, and now with Rhodey’s arrival, he wanted to ask about her but was afraid to have confirmed what he already knew. 

“Enough now, little rabbit. You will upset Peter if you scent more like this,” Steve said quietly, squeezing his hip again, “Let us return to the dining room and have our friends distract you for some time, yes? After we all separate for bed and have Peter settled, we can go for a walk if you wish.”

Tony sighed and nodded, knowing Steve was right. If Peter began to fuss, they may be stuck here all night, and he did want to spend time with the others, and  _ especially  _ with Rhodey…

“Alright. Let us return and eat more,” he conceded, standing up from the bed and reaching for Steve’s hand.

He took his hand and squeezed it, stopping Tony so he could lean in to kiss him. Tony eagerly moaned into it, letting go of Steve’s hand so he could run his hand up under Steve’s shirt to cup his pec. He grinned and thumbed his nipple, noting the hitch in Steve’s breath.

“If we do not stop, we may never go back,” Steve finally said, grabbing Tony’s hand to still it.

“I know, my darling. We will continue this later,” he promised, slipping his hand out with a smirk.

Tony moved Peter back down to cradle in his arms, kissing the baby’s head as they walked back to the dining room. The others paid them no mind, except when they sat back down, Rhodey immediately put his arm back around Tony and pulled him in.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Rhodey asked seriously, eyeing up Steve.

“No, Rhodey. He treats me well. You will just have to get used to him being around with me,” Tony said, “Honestly, Rhodes. He  _ will  _ fight you again if you keep your knothead shenanigans up. And, seeing how the last fight went, you should try and avoid more conflict. I--”

He sighed and shook his head, turning in his seat to face Rhodey.

“I know you are only looking out for me, and I love you for that,” he continued quietly, “But Steve is a good man. The things they taught us about the Warlords were not true. Give it a few days, then make your judgment, okay?”

Rhodey bit his lip, but he relented, sighing and nodding as he withdrew his arm.

“Fine. But I will be watching his every movement,” he said firmly, an Alpha growl leaking into his tone.

Before Tony could respond, Steve growled back, going so far as to bare his teeth. Rhodey immediately did the same and growled louder, which attracted the entire room’s attention. As the Alphas began to nonverbally fight over him, Tony made eye contact with Bruce at the next table over, recognizing the discomfort in the doctor’s posture.

“Knock it off,” Tony snapped at both Steve and Rhodey, standing up from his chair, “Go have your knotting contest somewhere else.”

Rhodey complained and Steve looked mildly shamed, but Tony ignored them and headed over to Bruce’s table, sitting across from the doctor so his back was to the Alphas. He winked and Bruce smiled, ducking his head in thanks.

“Your friend seems to be fitting in,” Bruce said quietly, earning a laugh from Tony, “I am sure he and Bucky will get along.”

“They would be unstoppable. I shudder to think of what they could get into together,” he said, moving Peter up so he could look at Bruce, “What do you think, love?”

Peter nibbled on his hand and kicked his legs a little, blinking his large brown eyes at Bruce. Tony kissed the babe’s cheek and patted his belly, then eased his hand out of his mouth and cleaned up the spittle.

“There we go, little one. Not too much longer and I will put you down for a nap, okay?”

“He has been such a sweet baby. I have never seen one so docile and easy-going before,” Bruce said, “You really are good to him, you know.”

“And I am about to be bad by asking you to watch him for tonight,” Tony admitted, giving Bruce a sheepish smile, “Steve and I want… we--we want to have a night. To ourselves.”

“I do not need details,” Bruce said quickly, face turning pink, “I am happy to look after him for a bit… but do you really want to hand him off to me and not your friend?”

“Rhodey could also take care of him, but necessary time could be wasted in attempted translation. Since you can speak both languages, if something goes wrong, you will be able to keep everyone in the loop,” he explained, “Plus, I have seen you with Peter already. He is comfortable in your arms.”

Bruce rapidly turned from pink to red, plucking his glasses from his face to clean on his shirt as he muttered to himself. Tony grinned, thoroughly enjoying his friend’s embarrassment.

“If you wish, Rhodey could help you keep watch. I am sure you could wheedle many stories of our friendship from him,” he continued, “Perhaps you could convince him that the Warlords are not as bad as Howard made them out to seem. If he spent time with you and Thor, I know he would come around.”

“We can try,” Bruce said before drinking his glass of water down in one go, undoubtedly to try and ease his blush.

“Thank you, Bruce. You are a good friend to me,” Tony said honestly, reaching over to pat the doctor’s hand, “Much better than those knotheads, anyway.”

Bruce choked on his water and Tony laughed heartily, smacking his knee in delight. The doctor drew in a ragged breath and shook his head at Tony’s giggles.

“I cannot believe you would call them that, good lord,” he whispered, looking over Tony’s shoulder.

“There are some stereotypes that are true, and their knots taking over their brains is one of them.”

Bruce whined and Tony laughed more, only to quiet down when Peter began to whimper. He shushed the babe and moved him up to his chest, gently leaning their heads together as he rubbed Pete’s back.

“Shhh, darling. We were not talking about you, I promise,” he murmured, attempting to stave off Peter’s sniffles, “You must really be ready for that nap, huh? Would you like to go nap with Uncle Bruce? Hm? We can get your dolly from your bassinet first.”

He stood up from the table and motioned with his head for Bruce to follow, tromping back down to his bedroom. He felt like he had done nothing but run around all day, and it was beginning to show as he handed Peter to Bruce and retrieved his doll.

“Maybe I will take a nap myself,” Tony admitted, petting Peter’s fine hairs, “All of this excitement has worn me out.”

“Rest would do you well, especially if you plan on spending your evening with the Prime,” Bruce said.

Tony nodded and felt heat gather in his cheeks, so he quickly ushered Bruce out with the baby and closed the door behind him. Finally able to get a breath into himself, Tony kicked off his shoes and peeled off his shirt and bra, collapsing belly-down onto the bed with a sigh. The day’s emotions exhausted him, and all he wanted to do was curl up with Steve, but thinking about the Prime only turned his stomach.

_ Of  _ course  _ the Prime Alpha is going to fight with any Alphas that seem to be encroaching on their territory, regardless of how you feel about it,  _ he thought to himself,  _ plus, Rhodey should know better than to instigate a brawl with someone who could have killed him already, especially when surrounded by people who could also kill him with one pinky finger each. _

He resolved to talk with Rhodey on the morrow, figuring the man could use some space to figure his worries out. As Tony rolled over and pulled the furs up to get himself ready for a nap, there was a knock on the door and it opened, revealing a familiar head with sad eyes.

“Come lay with me, darling,” Tony murmured sleepily, holding up the furs for Steve.

The Prime Alpha carefully shuffled in and closed the door, kicking off his shoes and garments until he was down to his trousers. Then, he crawled in under the warm furs, hesitating to put an arm around Tony.

“I am sorry for dinner,” Steve whispered, unable to look Tony in the eyes, “I know you told me to behave, but--I do not know what got into me. I usually have such control over my nature, and yet one small act of possession flipped something in me. I do not think I could have stopped, even if I tried.”

“I know. And Rhodey also knows better than to poke at you. I will have a conversation with him tomorrow after he has had a chance to get to know the others and the way of life here. It is not only on your shoulders, darling,” Tony soothed, reaching over to rub Steve’s arm.

“Even so, I understand if you want to put off our, ah, consummation,” he said quietly, a pink flush covering his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

Tony rolled his eyes and tucked himself up into Steve’s chest, not-so-subtly grinding their hips together as he settled. He smirked at Steve’s whimper and gently pulled him down into a kiss as he slipped his arms over Steve’s shoulders.

“I have no desire to change our plans,” he murmured between kisses, “Unless you want to?”

Steve shook his head and rolled them over so he was hovering above Tony, making Tony laugh at the man’s eagerness.

“Ah ah, back down, Alpha,” he teased, scraping nails over Steve’s shoulders and down to his pecs, “I am supposed to be  _ resting _ .”

“I did not realize that teasing me was resting,” Steve groaned as he rocked their hips together.

Tony sighed happily and stole a few more kisses, relishing in the warmth that pooled in his gut. He desperately wanted to have Steve now, but he wanted to get locked in, which meant waiting for a longer stretch of time to be together.

_ Damn. _

“Sorry, darling, we do have to wait,” he said regretfully, reaching down to still Steve’s hips, “I want to take my time with you and not rush this. We will have the whole night to ourselves, yeah? Surely you can hold on for a few more hours.”

“I can, but that does not mean I  _ want  _ to,” Steve grumbled, obeying Tony’s wishes and collapsing down onto his side.

Tony laughed, slipping his arm around Steve to bring the Alpha in to lay on his chest. He nuzzled the top of his head and kissed him there, taking a moment to just breathe in his warm scent. It was domestic, to be curled up in bed with an Alpha in the middle of the day, but he found that he did not mind. Rather, having Steve be willing to take the submissive position even in their cuddles made his heart seize and his stomach flutter.

“You are unlike any Alpha I have ever met,” Tony whispered, gently stroking Steve’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“M’a Prime,” Steve mumbled into Tony’s chest, “Not many out there.”

Tony rolled his eyes fondly and tugged the furs up, careful to cover Steve as much as possible to keep him warm. He kissed his head one more time before settling down, letting Steve’s scent lull him to sleep. They dozed the afternoon away, ending up tangled together in the furs when the supper bell rang. Tony picked his head up with a groan, laughing sleepily when he saw Steve’s sleeping face smushed into a pillow.

“Time to wake up, darling,” he whispered, smoothing Steve’s hair back, “The faster we eat, the faster you get to bed me.”

Steve immediately snapped his eyes open and rolled out of bed, making Tony roll over and laugh. He screeched when Steve grabbed his ankles and pulled him out of bed, holding him up against his chest by his thighs. Tony ducked his face into Steve’s neck and wheezed, hugging his neck tightly as he was carried back to the dining room.

“We are half-naked, Steve!” He exclaimed, smacking his back playfully, “The others will see!”

“Then let them see. Let them see what they cannot have,” Steve said, squeezing Tony’s thighs.

Tony blushed and hid his face back in Steve’s neck, only pulling away when he was set down in a chair. He whined, leaning up for a kiss before Steve scurried off to the kitchen to get their supper. He kept his eyes glued to Steve’s ass, only to yelp when he was startled by someone sitting down heavily on his right.

“So you love him?” Rhodey asked nonchalantly, folding his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his chair, “Or do you just want to get down with him as a political truce?” 

“ _ James _ ,” Tony hissed, “What has gotten  _ into _ you?”

“I do not trust him, Tones,” Rhodey said with a shrug, unconcerned with Tony’s anger, “I want to make sure I know the situation thoroughly before I decide if I approve of him or not.”

Tony groaned and smacked his face on the table, letting out a deep sigh.

“I hate you,” he grumbled, pouting at Rhodey’s laughter.

“I know you do, but somebody has to look out for you before you get knotted on some asshole you regret bonding with,” Rhodey said, patting Tony’s back, “And, seeing as he’s already gone to town on your nipples, I am a  _ bit _ concerned.”

He reached down to tweak one and Tony yelped in pain, reflexively sitting up and smacking Rhodey’s hand away. The two men stared at each other for a moment, but Tony cut in before Rhodey could say anything.

“It is not from Steve,” he said, putting his hands over his nipples to protect them, “I…”

He sighed sadly and looked away, unable to look his friend in the eye.

“It is from Peter,” he mumbled, “He--I am feeding him now.”

The room was silent, stretching on until Steve returned, eyeing them both as he set down Tony’s and his plates. He grunted and petted Tony’s hair, then turned back around and went back into the kitchen. Tony still kept his head down, even when Steve brought out a third plate, handing it to Rhodey.

“What happened, little rabbit? Did he say something to hurt you?” Steve asked, cupping Tony’s cheek and turning him up to look at him.

“He thought you were responsible for my nipples being so red and raw,” Tony said, managing a smile when Steve’s face turned red, “I told him the truth.”

Steve nodded and ducked down to kiss him, ignoring the strangled noise coming from the other side of the table.

“I like that you take such good care of the little one,” he said once they pulled apart, “He will come around to the idea if he is as good of a friend as you profess.”

Tony flicked his eyes over to Rhodey, relaxing once he saw his friend’s calm face.

“You are not mad, are you?” He asked.

“No. Surprised, perhaps. Bewildered. But not mad,” Rhodey said gently, “If it is what is best for Peter, then it is what it is.”

Tony felt like crying at that. He threw himself over into Rhodey’s arms and clawed at his back, sinking into his best friend’s warm hug.

“I was so scared you would hate it and me,” he admitted, “I thought you would think it was weird--”

“Idiot. I have put my ass on the line for you multiple times, and you think I would suddenly desert you over proper suckling? You really are stupider than I thought.”

Tony laughed wetly and pulled back, rubbing at his eyes with one hand and seeking out Steve’s hand with the other. He waved his hand at the food and began to eat, not trusting himself to talk without crying. Halfway through the meal, he scraped his cutlery on the plate, clearing his throat lightly.

“What--what has happened since I have been gone?” He asked, translating quickly for Steve to keep him in the loop.

Rhodey sighed and set his fork down, twiddling his thumbs in his lap as he thought.

“A lot more than you think,” he finally said, “I was hoping you would not ask, but I suppose it would be wrong to keep it from you.”

“What  _ happened? _ ” Tony asked more urgently, “Rhodey--”

Rhodey put a hand up to placate him, shifting uncomfortably before speaking again.

“Howard found us out hours after you left,” he said, “Mary’s father found her body and immediately recognized your scent and reported it to the castle. Howard organized a battalion and a plan, and it did not take long for him to receive news that you had gone North and been captured. Thankfully, it took a while for him to get the necessary men and supplies for the trip, which gave Pepper and me ample time to figure out what the hell we were supposed to do. Pepper agreed to stay in the city while I dealt with Hammer and took his place in the battalion, which you already knew. I never got word from Pepper while I was out with the men, so I assume nothing has changed since I left.”

“And what of mama?” Tony interrupted, shoving down the pain at hearing Mary’s name, “Does she know?”

Rhodey sucked in a breath and looked at Steve, tapping his fingers against the table.

“She knows,” he finally said, not quite meeting Tony’s eyes, “She tried to stand up for you, told Howard to leave you be, but he would not have it… last I knew, she was taken to the infirmary. He beat her pretty severely, Tony. Pepper said she would send word if she heard anything and I never received a letter. My guess is that she is still being taken care of.”

Horrified, Tony choked on his gasp and clapped a hand over his mouth. He shut his eyes tight and tried to not sob, squeezing Steve’s hand tightly as if he could pass on the pain. 

_ My fault, all my fault-- _

He was immediately dragged out of his seat and into Steve’s lap, held tight against the Alpha’s chest. Steve shushed him and rubbed his back, confused as to why Tony was suddenly scenting something awful. He looked across to Rhodey, who only shook his head and stood, reaching over to run his hand through Tony’s hair and squeeze his shoulder. Steve watched him leave the room, waiting until he was sure he was gone before pulling Tony away from his chest.

“I think Rhodey retired for the night--are you alright? What did he say?” He asked softly, brushing a thumb over Tony’s cheek.

“My mama--my mother, the queen--she tried to stand up to Howard and got hurt, all because of  _ me _ ,” Tony cried, “And, and Mary--”

Steve shushed him again and kissed him gently, closing his eyes to concentrate. He tried to think calm thoughts, hoping that his scent would calm to poor Omega; the minutes ticked by, but eventually Tony began to relax, leaning heavily onto Steve’s chest.

“There we go, little rabbit. Nice and easy,” he soothed, stroking Tony’s back, “Your mother is a smart woman, no? I doubt she would put herself in harm’s way unless she had a reason to. You are her  _ baby _ , Tony. Have you not done the same to me, standing up to an Alpha to protect your Omega son, regardless of the consequences?”

Tony sniffled and nodded, wiping at his eyes.

“I suppose you are right,” he conceded unhappily, “But I still hate the thought that she is suffering and I am not there to console her. If only I had kept to myself, I--”

“The past cannot be changed,  _ Omega _ ,” Steve said quietly, pushing his voice a bit to help Tony relax more, “Let us worry about the future. We will find a way to make Howard pay, I promise you. For now, you have to be strong for Peter, yeah? When the time comes, you will find healing. I will make sure of it.”

Tony blinked, then threw his arms around Steve’s neck, hugging him tightly. He ducked his head and nosed at Steve’s scent glands as he pushed all thoughts from his head. The pain was too much to bear.

“Take me to bed,” he mumbled, wanting nothing more than a distraction to take him out of his head.

He could smell the concern radiating off of Steve, but he did not ask any questions, which Tony was thankful for. Steve stood and carried Tony bridal-style back to their room, gently laying him down on the large bed. Tony grabbed at him and pulled him down before he could get too far away, capturing his lips with a throaty whine.

“Steve,  _ please _ ,” he begged, scraping his nails over the Alpha’s scent glands.

“Shhh, my love. Let me take care of you,” Steve managed, forcibly stomping down the primal urge to claim Tony right there, “We should wash off the day first.”

“But we will only get dirty again, we could wait--”

Steve shushed him again and hooked his fingers in Tony’s pants, carefully peeling them off and tossing them aside. He barely pulled down Tony’s underwear when the scent from his slick hit him full force, almost bringing him to his knees. Tony shifted and whined, pushing them off the rest of the way and dropping them over the side of the bed. He moved up onto his knees to fiddle with Steve’s trousers, totally unaware of how out of it the Alpha was. 

“Off,” Tony tried to demand, sounding more pouty than authoritative.

Steve blinked, looked down at Tony’s hands and then at the Omega, eyes blown wide with need. He slipped his hands around Tony’s waist and down over his ass, sucking in a sharp breath at just how wet he was; slick had smeared over his cheeks and down his thighs, which made Steve wonder about the absorbency of Tony’s underwear.

“ _ Steve _ ,” Tony interrupted again, yanking on his pants, “You have to help me out here, I--”

Steve snapped back to it and shucked off his pants, momentarily thankful that he usually went commando. He had the sense to be ready to bat away Tony’s hands, scooping the needy Omega back up to carry into the bathroom.

“Nooo,  _ Steve _ ,” Tony whined, grinding his half-hard cock up against Steve’s abdomen.

“Clean first. I want to make sure you are ready to--to take me,” he said, stumbling over his words in embarrassment, “It is important that I make sure we do this  _ right _ .”

Tony only mewled and thrust up again, panting into Steve’s neck as he tried to get himself off. He had gotten a good rhythm going, only to be placed in the tub that was rapidly filling with warm water. Disgruntled, he laid back and spread his legs, eagerly palming himself under Steve’s gaze.

“Do you not want me?” Tony groaned as he thrust up into his fist, “I saw the hunger in your eyes when you first saw me, you have wanted to mount me since.”

“Not true,” Steve said softly, attempting to will away the blush that was steadily rising into his cheeks, “I--it was not my  _ first _ thought. That… that was not until later.”

He smiled when Tony pouted up at him, gathering supplies from the cabinet before settling into the bath, making Tony sit up so he could slide down behind him.

“There you go, nice and easy,” Steve murmured, attempting to ignore his own need pressed up against Tony’s back.

Tony grunted, folding his arms over his chest while Steve got to work washing his body. He wanted to be angry at him for not ravishing him right away, but soon the warm water and Steve’s gentle massages relaxed him enough to fully lean back against Steve’s chest. He thought he might fall asleep there, but Steve’s hand brushed lightly over top of his right nipple and he moaned breathily, arching up into the touch.

“ _ Please _ ,” Tony panted into Steve’s neck.

“Let me know if it hurts,” Steve murmured.

Slowly, he washed down Tony’s chest, paying careful attention to his nipples. They were red and sore from Peter’s constant feeding, no doubt causing them to become extremely sensitive. Steve swallowed his shyness and tried to play with the nubs as best as he knew how, using Tony’s responses as a guide.

“Is...is this okay?” He asked, wincing when Tony’s breath hitched and his back bowed up, “Tony?”

“Yes--so good, so very good,” Tony slurred, “You can pinch them, it will not hurt me, I promise--”

Steve shook his head, leaning down to kiss the Omega as he moved his hands away. Tony almost immediately began to whine into Steve’s mouth, grabbing at his thighs to dig in his nails and show his displeasure.

“ _ Enough _ , Omega,” Steve growled, secretly enjoying Tony’s full-body shiver at his Alpha voice, “I will take care of you. Trust me to do that for you.”

Before Tony could protest more, Steve shifted down in the tub and brought his knees up, then grabbed Tony’s legs and placed them outside of his knees to keep him spread open. He heard Tony gasp, but he ignored it, using the new position so he could gently clean between Tony’s legs. 

_ You can do this. You heard Bucky talk about it a million times, you can do this. Just do what you would do. _

Careful as to not hurt Tony with his strength, Steve cupped his cock in his palm and slowly stroked him, watching in fascination as the head peeked up through his fingers and disappeared again. Tony was by no means small, but it seemed so compared to Steve’s large hand, making Steve shiver with want. He realized that Tony’s hands were wandering up his thighs, clearly searching to return the pleasure, but Steve quickly grabbed his wrists with one hand and pinned them behind his back, leaving Tony to only be propped up by Steve’s chest and thighs.

“Fuck, s’hot,” Tony groaned, attempting to thrust his hips up faster than Steve’s slow strokes, “C’mon, I need it, I need  _ you _ \--”

“You will not have me until I am  _ sure _ you are ready,” Steve said again, turning his head to kiss Tony and nip at his bottom lip, “You beg so well, but I am not budging on that.”

“I will die if you make me wait much longer,” he gasped between kisses, “I can feel how hard you are, I want you inside me, Steve,  _ please _ \--”

Steve growled, effectively silencing Tony into nothing but whimpers and moans. Slowly, he let go of Tony’s cock and let his fingers drift lower, shuddering as he felt the slick leaking from Tony’s hole. Ever so careful, he rubbed his fingers on the outside of the muscle, moving his other arm to let go of Tony’s wrists and bodily hold him down across his arms and chest to prevent him from bucking off. It took a minute to get Tony to relax, but as soon as he did Steve slipped a finger inside, ignoring the cramp in his hand as he began to stretch him.

“Oh fuck, oh  _ gods _ , Steve,” Tony wheezed, nearly writhing on Steve’s lap as he attempted to fuck himself on Steve’s fingers, “More, I can do more, I know you can feel how slick I am, I can take it--”

“I know you can. Have patience,” Steve soothed, tightening his arm to keep Tony in place, “I want to make sure you are clean and opened up enough. I--”

He blushed, ducking his face to hide in Tony’s hair.

“I really do not know if you will be able to take me, let alone my knot,” he finally admitted, “I want to do as much as I can to open you up so we can try, okay?”

Tony gasped and threw his head back with a whine, eventually nodding.

“Okay. Okay, slow. Fine. But I promise I can take you. I can. I know I can,” he insisted.

The finger inside him stilled and Tony nearly cried. He tried to move his hips again but Steve growled and slipped his finger out, much to Tony’s chagrin.

“No, no no no, I am being good, I have been good,” he begged, “Steve, Steve,  _ Alpha _ \--”

“How would you know how much cock you can take?” Steve asked bluntly, grabbing Tony’s cock to stroke roughly, pushing his thumbnail into the slit in the head just to hear Tony moan loudly, “Have you ridden others? Taken their fat cocks deep in you?”

“Oh fuck,  _ fuck _ , yes, a few, at brothels,” Tony panted, having to hold onto Steve for dear life, “Never an A-alpha, never, only Betas, never had an Alpha, promise--”

“Their cocks will feel like fingers compared to mine,” Steve interrupted, moving the arm that was holding Tony down to abruptly shove two fingers into him, “It is a good thing you get wet so easily... I am not sure there is enough oil in the world to slick you up enough to be ready for me.”

Tony cried out and rolled his hips down, finally getting his arms out from behind him to wrap back around Steve’s neck, distantly aware of trying to avoid the cut on the back of his head. 

“Please, I want it, I want you so badly,” he begged, “I want to feel you split me open,  _ please _ \--”

“No,” Steve growled, “I will  _ not  _ hurt you. If I do not think I can be in you, I am not going to push it.”

“I can do it, I can do it, you just gotta stretch me, use four fingers if you have to, lick me out, I do not  _ care _ , I just know that if I do not get your prick inside me tonight you are  _ never _ going to hear the end of it,” Tony threatened, stuttering a bit when Steve added a third finger.

“Oh, are you in charge?”

Steve grinned at Tony’s breathy laugh, nudging his cheek so he would turn for a kiss. He eagerly claimed Tony’s mouth, tangling their tongues together as he spread his fingers. Tony gasped and cried out, barely able to keep up his kisses as he panted moans and shoved himself down onto Steve’s fingers.

“A-ah, Alpha,  _ please _ , m’so close,” He begged.

Steve smiled and nibbled on Tony’s bottom lip, teasing the edge of his pinky against Tony’s rim.

“If you come now, we will have to start all over again later when you recuperate,” he said in faux-sympathy, enjoying Tony’s whines as he pulled his fingers out, “Easy there, Omega. Time for the bed, no?” 

Tony all but scrambled out of the bath, tripping on his shaky legs and ending up on his hands and knees in the water. Unable to help himself, Steve spread his cheeks and pushed three fingers in again, checking the spread while Tony sobbed in pleasure.

“Almost ready. Just a little more and we can try,” Steve decided, taking his fingers away.

He stood and winced, ignoring the sharp pain in his side from Tony writhing on his wound. Careful, he helped Tony up and carried him out to the bed, laying him back down and spreading his legs out. Tony looked absolutely debauched: his hair was wild and askew, eyes nearly completely black with lust and cock red and thick, leaking against his belly. 

“If you do not fuck me right now, I will  _ not _ let you fuck me again,” Tony managed to threaten, grabbing his cock by the base to stave off his release, “And I mean  _ now, Steve _ .”

He let his Omega tone slip out and watched Steve carefully, smirking when the Prime hurried to get onto the bed and slot himself between Tony’s legs. Noticing the crumpled bandage on Steve’s side, Tony hissed and held his legs back from behind his knees in an attempt to keep from injuring the Alpha. Oblivious, Steve reached over to fumble with his oil tin on his bedside table, gathering enough slick to lube up his cock.

“That’s it, big boy, nice and easy,” Tony crooned, purring once he felt the head of Steve’s cock brush up against his rim.

He forced himself to relax and breathed out, grunting as Steve slowly pushed in. Inwardly, he began to panic and wondered if Steve was right, but he forced it down and closed his eyes, concentrating on staying relaxed.

“Fuck, Tony,” Steve panted, glacially pushing in to give him time to adjust, “Y’feel so good, darling, so  _ so  _ good, so good for me--”

Finally, he managed to get himself fully sheathed and he stopped, holding himself up above Tony to wait for him to be comfortable. He leaned down to gently kiss Tony's neck, hushing him when he whimpered.

“Breathe, darling. I have you,” he whispered into Tony’s skin, “You feel so good, sweetheart, we can stop here--”

“Don’t you fucking dare stop,” Tony said shakily, rolling his hips as a test, “I-I think you can go, I think--”

“Tell me if it hurts, okay? I am not here to hurt you,” Steve murmured, leaning up for one more kiss.

After he got a nod, Steve started to move, beginning with deep, slow thrusts. He almost pulled all the way out before pushing back in, praying to every deity he knew of that he lasted more than a few thrusts. 

“I am not going to break, you can go faster,” Tony urged, “Come on--”

Steve growled and picked up his pace until he could hear the bed frame start to slam repetitively against the wall. He allowed himself to look down, watching his cock disappear into Tony with an ungodly squelching noise that really should not be turning him on as much as it was. 

“Fuck, sweetheart, you feel so tight,” he panted, “Let--let me--”

He took one of Tony’s legs and put it over his shoulder, turning to bite at his thigh as Tony writhed under him, suddenly crying out at the change in position. Tony’s hand immediately flew to his cock and started jacking himself off, hips jackhammering down to meet Steve’s thrusts.

“M’close, fucking--get  _ down _ here so I can fucking bite you,” Tony snapped, out of his mind with pleasure.

Steve nearly bent Tony in half in order to lean down, but Tony did not care as he could finally nibble at Steve’s scent glands. All it took was for Steve to nudge his sweet spot and stars exploded in Tony’s eyes as he came and bit into Steve’s glands, immediately tasting blood. Steve cried out in pain and bit Tony back, feeling his knot begin to swell. He heard Tony gasp, but he pushed in as deep as he could, locking them together. He shuddered and collapsed down onto his forearms, twitching as he came over and over again.

“Tha’s it, fill me up,” Tony slurred, somehow picking up his arm to be able to pet Steve’s hair, “Good boy, did so well, takin’ such good care a’me, talked so pretty, too…”

He gently licked at Steve’s bleeding bondmark and kissed it lightly, loving how Steve shivered and jolted as he rode out his knot. He sighed happily and nuzzled Steve’s cheek, careful to not hit his nose.

“ _ Tony _ ,” Steve managed weakly before slumping down on top of him with a wheeze.

Tony grunted at the weight, but at least Steve was still conscious, which was better than some of his previous partners. He could feel their bond buzzing in his core, and when he mentally poked at it, he choked on the searing pleasure that roared into his body. Instinctively, he writhed and clenched down, his cock twitching in interest. He felt Steve’s cock pulse again inside of him, but Steve barely reacted as he was too busy catching his breath.

“You--ah, fuck--You did so well, I have  _ never _ been fucked like that. Betas are so  _ boring _ and vanilla these days, but you tried to take me for a ride, yeah?” Tony babbled, suddenly very aware of the silence in the room, “Where did you even learn to  _ talk _ like that? You have always seemed to shy and reserved and then you come out with  _ that _ \--”

Steve laughed breathily and scooted in to nose at Tony’s cheek, leaving a trail of butterfly kisses down to his ear.

“I heard Buck talk like that b’fore, behind doors I was not s’posed to be listening to,” he admitted, panting a little, “Did...did you like it? Was it okay? I never--you were my first, little rabbit. I want to make sure it was good for you.”

“I think you fucked my brains out,” Tony answered, grinning at Steve’s laugh, “Gods, you were wonderful--you  _ are _ wonderful, and you definitely were not kidding about the size of your dick, holy  _ shit _ .”

“I really am sorry,” Steve said sadly, finding the strength to lean back up and look down at where they were joined together, “It was not always like this. I was… much smaller as a child. It was not until my early adulthood that I filled out. It… it really is not as glamorous as one would think. I would guess that at your brothels, none of your partners have run from the room at the sight of your prick, no?”

“Oh, gods, they were that scared? Psh, then they have no business being at a brothel,” Tony said dismissively, “If it had been me, I would have happily been ripped in two by your delicious cock.”

He waggled his eyebrows, to which Steve smiled fondly and rolled his eyes. He sat back carefully and ran his thumb over Tony’s rim, shushing him when he whined.

“Just making sure you are not bleeding or tearing,” Steve soothed, “Are you okay? Comfortable? Do you want me t--”

He gurgled the rest of the word and spasmed forward, spilling another load into Tony. It was genuinely painful to come so much, but his biology demanded it of him. 

“Shh, I have you, easy now,” Tony said, smoothing back Steve’s sweaty hair and kissing his cheek, “Just relax, not too much longer, yeah? Then we can clean up and throw on something loose and sleep.”

“Clothes?” Steve wheezed, trembling.

“Bruce will most likely bring Peter around at first light for breakfast. Now, I am no prude, but I would rather not scar him with our nudity.”

Steve seemed to consider this and nodded, shifting his hips with a groan. He sighed and continued moving until he could glacially slide out, careful to not injure Tony any more than he might have. Finally, he collapsed onto his side of the bed, grabbing Tony’s hand to squeeze before promptly falling asleep. Tony looked over at him and sighed, unable to help a soft giggle.

“My turn, hm?” He whispered, squeezing Steve’s hand back.

He groaned and shifted himself out of the bed, steadying himself on various pieces of furniture as he hobbled back to the bathroom. Thankfully, it was easy to clean himself up and drain the tub, but by the time he got a warm, wet rag to clean Steve off with his legs were starting to give out. It was only by sheer willpower alone that he managed to get back to the bed to wipe down Steve’s face and chest before carefully cleaning his groin, his face falling when the Alpha whimpered in his sleep.

“I know, I know, all done,” Tony whispered, “You were so good, my love. Such a good Alpha, so kind--”

Carefully, he moved over to the closet to pull on new underwear, panting softly at the ache as he moved his legs. Tony glanced at Steve and figured the Prime was still too sensitive for clothes, so he hefted himself back up onto the bed. He pulled the furs up around them and gently kissed Steve’s bruised nose, happily settling down for the night.

_ This is my home now _ , he thought distantly, letting his exhaustion finally pull him under.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony was used to Alphas fighting over him, but this was a little much.
> 
> Also, he learns a lesson about listening to Steve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags updated as chapters updated. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are really appreciated! Ask me questions over @avengersasssemble on tumblr.com.
> 
> Please be patient between chapters. Things are a little crazy right now and it is taking me longer to write than I initially thought.

Sharp pain woke him up with a gasp. Tony held his breath to keep from screaming as he shifted his legs apart, only breathing out once the pain lessened. He groaned and forced himself to sit up, blinking tiredly in the light of the early dawn. It was no wonder Steve had wanted to take his time last night; if Tony had let him, he probably would have avoided the situation he found himself in, but the sex had distracted him like he wanted.

_ And no doubt this ache will keep my mind occupied,  _ he thought with a grunt.

Slowly, Tony heaved himself out of bed, careful to not disturb the Prime as he wobbled into the bathroom. A warm bath was in order to relax his muscles and clean off his sweat-dried skin. It took a bit to get himself undressed and into the tub, but as soon as he sank into the steaming water he sighed in bliss, almost instantly relaxed. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander as he soaked, testing out the new bond that filled his heart. It was like a heavy rock had been forced into the organ, taking up space that it was not meant to fill. However, it was not uncomfortable, and when he concentrated on it, he felt warm and tingly, like he was sitting in front of a fire on a cold night.

Not wanting to accidentally wake Steve with his prodding, Tony opened his eyes and finished his bath, silently screaming in his head as he climbed out and slid his underwear back on. His limp would no doubt be noticeable, and  _ gods _ was Rhodey going to kill him once he saw it…. or kill Steve. 

_ Or both of us. _

He managed to get to the closet to dress for the day, opting for loose clothes on his sore body. The stupid nursing garment stared at him from one of the drawers, but since Steve was asleep Tony stuck his tongue out at it and left it where it was. With one last glance over at the Warlord--

_ Bondmate _ , he reminded himself, taking a deep breath to still his nerves,  _ He’s your bondmate now. _

Tony sighed and slipped on his shoes before limping out to the hallway, quietly closing the door behind him. He should head down to the dining hall, but the sun was coming in through the front windows of the castle and he wanted to warm himself in the rays. It took a few minutes, but he eventually got to the front doors and let himself out, sighing happily once he could breathe in the crisp autumn air. The sun had barely peeked over the horizon, coloring the few clouds in shades of pink and purple. Tony stood there against the castle walls and watched the sunrise until the sky was almost completely blue, taking in the beauty before all hell descended on his head.

_ Peter should be hungry by now. _

Spurred on by the thought of getting his baby back in his arms, Tony headed inside and hobbled his way to Bruce’s quarters, smiling as he heard familiar cries echoing down the hall. Something in his heart tugged and he knew Peter missed him. He barely got his fist up to knock when the door swung open, revealing the disheveled physician and a clearly agitated Peter.

“Oh, thank the gods,” Bruce muttered, shoving Pete into Tony’s arms, “I am going back to sleep.”

Tony laughed when the door shut in his face, unable to be mad when he knew just how fussy the baby could be. He kissed Peter’s cheeks and brushed away his tears, cooing when the baby started to hiccup from his cries.

“Shh, my love, no more tears,” Tony soothed, gritting his teeth as he began the painful trek to the dining hall, “We will sit and eat and have a good cuddle, okay? Daddy missed you, sweet one.”

It was hard to talk while moving with such a ferocious ache between his legs, but he managed, even if it stole every ounce of energy from his body. By the time he reached the dining hall and had settled in his chair, he was exhausted and in more pain than he cared to admit. With a grunt, Tony shoved down the feeling and lowered Peter into his arms, tucking him up under his shirt to position him for breakfast.

“Daddy’s sorry he left you for your first night alone,” he said quietly, pretending as though he did not want to yell from how much pain his body was in, “I missed hearing your tiny breaths when I tried to sleep. The Prime is warm, but not as comforting as you, my love. Perhaps we can cuddle tonight, yeah? Would you like that? More time with Daddy?”

Tony smiled down at the baby and gently stroked his fine hair, letting Peter have his fill before helping him unlatch and moving him to his shoulder to pat his back. 

“What should we do today, hm? Maybe once Bruce has rested we can go look at the lab, or we could go out and see the flowers, get you some nice air, yeah?” He whispered.

Peter only gurgled in response, tucking his head into Tony’s neck. He almost cried at how cute his baby was and kissed Peter’s cheek, rubbing circles on his back as he rocked them back and forth. 

_ Hopefully, Steve wakes up soon _ , he thought to himself,  _ I do not think I can walk to the kitchen on my own… _

“Remind me to yell at your father later,” Tony grumbled to Peter, shifting uncomfortably as his ache worsened.

Suddenly, the bond began to flare enough to catch his attention; curious, Tony closed his eyes and concentrated on it, feeling Steve’s drowsiness as he began to wake. Impatient, Tony prodded at the bond, feeling Steve go from drowsy to awake in seconds. Confusion filtered through, and then deep sadness and guilt, bad enough to cause Tony to open his eyes and gasp. Peter made a curious noise and grabbed at his dad’s shirt, no doubt also sensing Steve.

“Once he finds us, he will feel better, darling. I would run to him, but I do not think my legs could stand it,” Tony admitted, moving Peter back down into a cradle so he could poke the babe’s button nose.

He closed his eyes again and focused, attempting to comfort Steve through their link. It was like trying to have a conversation using only facial expressions, which meant Tony could not tell Steve where he was, but he could send over his hunger pains. The bond settled and Tony opened his eyes, having to bite his inner cheek to keep from laughing when he heard the sound of bare feet running on stone; the dining hall doors burst open to reveal Steve, clad only in his traditional skirt. He locked eyes on Tony and strode over, cupping his hands around the Omega’s face.

“Sorry, I wanted to let you sleep in,” Tony apologized, patting the hand that rested on his right cheek, “Peter needed me…”

He trailed off, propping up the sleepy baby for Steve to look at. Seemingly satisfied, Steve nodded, pressing a kiss to both of their foreheads.

“Breakfast?” Steve asked, finally smiling when Tony’s stomach growled, “Stay. I will go make us plates.”

Tony forced a smile of his own and watched Steve walk off to the kitchen, only letting it drop when he was sure the other man was out of sight. He did  _ not _ want to have a conversation about his pain, but he knew they needed to talk about it, even if Steve tried to force him to have an examination. Embarrassment flared in his face at the thought, so Tony ducked his head and forced himself to think on other things, like how he was going to explain his bond to Rhodey.

_ Shit. _

“Tony?” 

He looked up and smiled weakly at Steve, who had peeked his head out of the kitchen to give him a concerned look.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Fine, fine. Just ready to eat and get the day started, is all,” Tony lied, moving Peter up to his shoulder so he did not have to look Steve in the face.

He kissed the baby’s cheek and listened to the sounds of clanging and feet pattering in the kitchen, only looking up once the footsteps started to approach. Steve raised an eyebrow at him and set a bowl down in front of Tony, then took his own seat next to him.

“You sure you are alright?” Steve asked again, which made Tony bristle a bit as he started to pick at his hot oats and berries, “The bond feels...strange.”

“It will feel strange for a while,” Tony said as he juggled eating with a curious, handsy baby, “It will take a bit to get used to.”

Steve hummed and nodded, his short mohawk falling forward onto his forehead as he ducked his head to eat. Pleased that the subject had been dropped, Tony attempted to finish his meal while prying Peter’s free hand off of his spoon every time it came near him.

“I should have grabbed your dolly from Bruce,” He tutted, pushing the bowl and spoon away so Peter could no longer try to grab them, “You just like causing mischief this morning, hm?”

Peter stuck his hand in his mouth as an answer, causing Tony to huff with laughter and kiss the babe’s head. He looked over to catch the Prime staring, smirking when Steve blushed and shoveled in the rest of his breakfast.

“I think we should lay around inside today,” Tony said carefully, attempting to sound nonchalant instead of desperate, “I would like to nap with Peter for a bit. If Bruce’s face was anything to go by, Pete kept the poor man up all night with his fussiness. I think he missed me.”

“Let us take a walk first, while the day is new,” Steve suggested, “I want to show you the gardens before the townsfolk are up and about, yeah? Then we can take our time.”

_ Uh oh. _

“A walk. Yes,” Tony managed, sweating a bit when Steve stood and made to leave.

He swallowed his nerves and made to stand, clamping down on his urge to cry out from moving. Gods, it  _ hurt _ , and he barely got his arm down in time to brace himself against the table when his knees gave out. Steve was on him in an instant, grabbing his hips to help keep him upright.

“I knew something was wrong,” He accused, “Tell me what hurts,  _ Omega _ .”

“ _ Nothing _ ,” Tony hissed through gritted teeth despite every cell in his body wanting to tell Steve the truth in a desperate plea for comfort.

He thought for just a moment that Steve might let him go, but then he was bent over the table and flailing to keep Peter safe, ending up awkwardly holding the baby with his elbows on the table. Cold air hit his bare ass as his pants were yanked to his knees; Tony knew he was turning red with embarrassment and he tried to convey this, but Steve gently pulled his cheeks apart and his speaking ability turned into frantic spluttering and pained whimpers.

“You should have told me that I hurt you,” Steve said quietly from behind him, “You should have woken me up and let me take care of you.”

Tony could only hide his face in Peter’s cheek, biting back the shame that swept through him when dry fingers prodded around his hole. It was  _ humiliating _ , especially since they were in a public area where anyone could walk in and see him spread out. Thankfully, the examination was quick and his pants were returned to their place, but even Steve helping him up and fixing his clothes did nothing to alleviate his shame and anger. In fact, as soon as he was upright and resituated, Tony moved around Steve and limped back to their room, growling any time the Prime tried to get close to help.

“ _ Tony _ ,” Steve sighed, “I warned you this would happen if you did not let me take my time with you. There is no need to feel so bad about it, little rabbit. You are in pain; let me help you.”

It was tempting bait. Being pampered and fussed over by an Alpha sounded blissful, but Tony had always been too stubborn over his pride to let go. Instead, he crawled into the single bed with Peter and laid the baby on his chest, making sure to keep his legs slightly open to alleviate the ache. If it were not for the disappointment and worry tugging on the bond, Tony would have easily fallen asleep.

“Please let me help? I know you can take the pain, but you do not  _ have  _ to…then we can all lay together in the big bed for rest.”

“No,” Tony answered haughtily, “I am going to rest with my baby, and when I wake next, maybe I will think about it.”

Steve put his hands on his hips and stared down at him until Tony averted his gaze, pulling up his furs a bit higher as if they would protect him.

“I hope you understand that when  _ you _ are in pain,  _ I  _ can feel it as well,” Steve finally said, letting his arms drop, “I cannot tell where it is on your body, but it aches in my chest like a hot poker was shoved into it. As much as I respect your choices for your body, it also happens to affect  _ me _ , and I would like to not feel as though I need to pry my ribs open to get out the pain.”

Tony paused at that, feeling more shame heat his cheeks and spread down his neck. He did not want Steve to hurt, it was not  _ his  _ fault…

“Fine. Put Pete in his crib first, though. I do not want to risk dropping him on accident,” he grunted.

Carefully, he picked Peter up to hand to Steve, feeling a tug on his heart once he saw his baby happily nestled in Steve’s arms. Peter appeared to be quite small compared to the Warlord, but Steve looked at him with such fondness that it was clear that the babe was safe with him. The tableau vanished as quickly as it came; Steve gently laid Peter down in his crib before going to the bathroom, presumably to find whatever he needed to fix Tony up. He still felt awkward about the whole thing, and by the time Steve came back he had the furs pulled up to his nose in an attempt to hide.

“I will be quick, I promise,” Steve said as he settled on the end of the bed, moving the furs up to Tony’s waist, “Can you hold yourself open for me?”

If there was an emotion beyond shameful embarrassment, Tony was feeling it down to his toes. He ever so carefully lifted his hips so Steve could pull off his pants and underwear, then slowly opened his legs up. 

_ Fuck, that hurts _ , he thought grimly, tossing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut.

“Breathe, little rabbit.”

Tony whimpered and flailed his hand around until he grabbed onto Steve’s hand, clutching at it for comfort. He received a squeeze in return, helping him to relax. A warmth that felt like cupping a warm mug blossomed in his chest and Tony went boneless, rolling his head to the side to give Steve what he hoped was a confused look.

“Bonds strengthen when you use them,” Steve explained, spreading some sort of cream on his fingertips, “My ma… my mother taught me that with enough concentration and with good intention, you can push feelings into your bondmate. I always thought it was for emotional comfort, but using it to relax your muscles so you are not in as much pain also works.”

Now  _ that  _ was interesting. He did not know much about bonds beyond basic knowledge, as Howard had not thought it relevant to his curriculum. Sure, Rhodey and Pepper had gossiped about bonding before, but Tony would have remembered if  _ emotional manipulation  _ was part of the deal. Curious, he attempted to concentrate, pretending he was sending happy thoughts into Steve’s head. Steve only raised an eyebrow and moved his legs again, letting go of Tony’s hand so he could properly position him.

“Try to hold still.”

Tony moved his head to look at the ceiling, but before he could focus on something to distract him, gentle fingers rubbed over his hole and he gasped, unable to tell what was worse: the pain or the mortification.

“Shhh, sweetheart. Almost done,” Steve said quietly, smoothing his hand over Tony’s thigh.

He could feel Steve gently massaging the cream around him and inside of him. Slowly, the pain began to ebb away, numbed enough to be more than bearable. He barely felt Steve’s fingers slip out and he sighed quietly, letting the Alpha re-dress him and pull the furs back down to cover him. 

“Thank you,” Tony said meekly, avoiding eye contact while Steve went to wash his hands.

Carefully, he turned onto his side to face the wall, cringing at the wet feeling between his legs. Humiliation soaked his skin and he wanted to sink into the floor. It was bad enough that Steve could feel him hurting, but to then have to  _ finger him  _ to ease the pain?

“Good gods,” he muttered to himself, pushing the heel of his hand into his crotch to try and tamp down the unintended side effect of his ‘treatment’, “I must be cursed.”

The water in the bathroom shut off and he froze, silently praying to any deity out there that Steve did not notice his problem and went about his day. Of course, the heavens seemed to have it out for him, as the Alpha merely returned to Tony’s bedside and climbed into the single bed, having to spoon up against Tony’s back to make them fit. Tony squeaked as Steve slipped an arm over his waist and pulled him in, leaning up to kiss the spot behind Tony’s ear as he settled down.

“Sleep, little rabbit. You have had a rough morning,” he said quietly, gently rubbing circles on Tony’s stomach, “Sleep will--”

He stilled his hand and went silent. Tony bit his lip and shut his eyes, waiting for the inevitable; he expected Steve to slide his hand down and take him again because a  _ good  _ Alpha takes their Omega when they need it, regardless if they actually  _ want  _ it.

“Tony?”

He made a noise of acknowledgment, only to whimper when Steve gently rolled him onto his side and sat up on his elbow, looking down at him with concern.

“Are you alright, my love? You smell scared again,” Steve said softly, reaching up to cup Tony’s face, “Did… did I do something wrong?”

“I--no, you did nothing wrong. You are fine,” he answered, patting the hand on his cheek, “I promise.”

“So it is you, then?”

_ He is too damn perceptive. _

“Well, I thought--” Tony nibbled on his bottom lip again and looked away, shivering under Steve’s gaze, “I figured, since you had practically slicked me up and got me hard, you were going to--”

“Oh, gods, Tony, no! No, no, darling, never,” Steve interrupted, his light skin quickly heating into a rosy pink, “You are  _ hurting _ . I would never take advantage of you. I promise. I only thought that being held and being able to scent me would help you feel more at ease. Unless...did you  _ want _ me?”

“No! No, I, ah--I just want to relax and not scent of sex first thing in the morning,” Tony said, figuring a half-truth would better than telling Steve just how scared he was, “Laying together is good, though. I...I would like that, I think.”

He rolled onto his side to face Steve and let the Alpha settle before scooting into his arms, happy to steal his warmth. Steve pressed a kiss to his hair and Tony smiled, burying his face in the man’s chest. Just as they began to drift off, the universe decided to intervene and Peter began to fuss and wail, sobbing his little eyes out. Tony sighed when Steve laughed, untangling himself so he could kneel on the bed and scoop Peter up out of his crib.

“Shh, my darling, I know, this morning was supposed to be about you and me, huh?” He whispered in the Southern dialect, gently rocking them back and forth while he pressed kisses to the baby’s cheeks, “You are alright, little one. Daddy’s here, I have you, no need to cry.”

Peter’s little face turned red with his cries as he flailed his fists and kicked his legs in an outright tantrum. Tony tried to shush him and settled the baby on his chest, laying back down on the bed so Steve could snuggle up to them both.

“Is he alright?” Steve asked with a frown, gently poking a finger into one of Peter’s fists so the baby could grab onto him, “Did he eat?”

Tony felt heat rise in his cheeks and he made an affirmative noise, craning his neck down so he could kiss Peter’s head.

“I think he had a bad night without me,” he said quietly, feeling very guilty, “Maybe it was too early to let him be away for so long. I...I did not think he would be upset, but--”

“Tony. He is a baby. He would cry and wail whether it be in your arms or Sam’s,” Steve said, “Plus, you would have to leave him be eventually. We want to have our own room, right?”

It felt like the breath in his lungs turned into ice. He had not had Peter for very long, but to think about not having him in arm’s length for anything longer than a night scared him to his core. This was  _ his  _ baby, his only son, not even weaned, and Steve wanted to kick him out? The thought brought tears to his eyes, and he must have started to sour, as Peter’s wails quieted to whimpers and Steve reeled back to cough.

“Sorry, sorry,” Tony whispered, panicking a little as he sat up and curled around Peter, not-so-subtly batting Steve’s hands away.

He refused to look toward Steve when the Alpha tried to comfort him. Peter needed him and he was going to pay attention to his sweet boy, whether or not Steve liked it. The bond throbbed in his chest, flooding his senses with Steve’s worry and nausea; it hurt to feel his bondmate’s rejection.

“I would like to be alone, please,” he said, keeping his head turned.

It was quiet for a moment, then the bed creaked as Steve shifted and got up, not even bothering with a goodbye as he left the room. The bond strained and protested, but Tony had plenty of experience with tamping down his feelings, so he ignored it in favor of rocking Peter in his arms.

“Daddy’s sorry, Petey. He never meant to hurt you or make you feel scared or alone,” Tony murmured, “I will always be there to hold you and comfort you. I promise. You are my first priority, little one.”

He kissed the babe’s cheeks until Peter began to squirm and giggle, grabbing at his father’s face to tug on his beard. Wincing, Tony gently pulled his fingers away and kissed them, unable to feel upset when hearing his baby’s joyful noises. Pete squealed and kicked his legs, making Tony laugh.

“Alright, alright. No more kisses,” he teased, “You settling down now that Daddy feels a little better?”

He moved Peter up to his shoulder and scooted out of the bed, feeling both thankful and guilty that his pain was mostly gone. He walked them over to the closet and dug around for Peter’s wrap, carefully tying the baby to his chest so he could keep his arms relatively free.

“There. Now you can listen to Daddy’s heartbeat and maybe sleep some more,” he said, brushing his fingers through Peter’s fine hair.

Tony barely got one footstep toward the door when a sharp pain electrified his heart and crackled through his ribs. His gasp was silent as he stumbled and smacked a hand on the wall, stunned by the sudden surge from the bond. It was difficult to concentrate on shaky legs, but Tony shut his eyes tight and tried to feel around the bond anyway. Searing heat radiated from the connection, burning in fierce rage and protectiveness. Unable to withstand it any longer, Tony’s eyes flew open and he forced himself to move, knowing that he needed to find Steve.

_ Please do not let him have done something stupid _ .

Whatever it was, Peter was more curious than fussy, so Tony felt a little calmed by that. He walked down the hallway toward the staircase and heard a commotion from the dining room. Believing that he would find some of the others to ask where Steve went, he threw open the doors, and the sight that greeted him nearly made him faint. The tables and chairs had been knocked over and cutlery and place settings were scattered about. Rhodey was struggling on one end of the room, barely restrained by Clint and Sam. Steve stood at the other end, equally as angry and forcibly wrestling against the grips of Thor, Bucky, and Natasha. The sound of the doors slamming shut made everyone jump and whip around to look at Tony, who could only open his mouth slightly as he tried to understand what was happening. Rhodey took one glance at Tony’s clearly bruised neck and began to growl loudly, feet scraping on the floor as he tried to escape his captors.

“You  _ bonded  _ him?!” He yelled, “You took advantage of him when he needed  _ help _ , you are no king! You are just as much of a savage as the world  _ thinks  _ you are--”

“I should have killed you when I had the chance,” Steve snarled back, overtop of Thor and Clint’s rapid translating, “He could have said no if he wanted to--”

“Could he? What if it was  _ you?  _ Would you walk away from a place to eat and a warm bed for your  _ child _ ?! Put yourself in his place! You were his  _ only  _ option to keep that baby alive and free and you  _ forced yourself _ onto him!”

“He would never be safe as an unbonded Omega and you know that! It was a goddamn  _ miracle _ that he and Peter remained unbonded while out in the forest on their own.  _ Anyone  _ could have found them and taken them for themselves and used them as bargaining chips to Stark’s throne. Then they would have  _ both  _ been dead!”

“Enough!” Tony shouted, making sure his hands were over Peter’s ears to dull the noise.

The room fell deadly silent, and in the distraction Steve broke free, sprinting toward one of the fallen tables to use it as a springboard to launch himself at Rhodey. Thor barely tackled him in time and the Warlords went crashing to the ground, struggling on the floor.

“Sam. Clint. Take James to the cells and chain him up, then come back to help us do the same for Steve,” Bucky ordered.

Tony could only watch in tears as his best friend was dragged off and his Alpha was restrained. The bond was still burning, but an arm slipped around his shoulders and seemed to cool the heat.

“Steve is going feral,” Natasha said quietly, drawing Tony into her body to keep him from watching what was happening, “James was fine until Steve came into the dining room. We could all smell you on him and I think James had the wrong impression of what had happened. They started off with quips and snide comments, but their natures could not handle two Alphas wanting to protect the same person.”

“What will happen to them?” Tony whispered.

Natasha frowned and looked over his shoulder, then sighed.

“They will come down from it eventually. I do not know how long they will be in shackles, but I think James should be fine by the evening. He scented of authentic righteous anger, while Steve reeked of annoyance and jealousy. It is more difficult to come back from being feral when Alphas feel that way.”

Tony sniffled and pulled back, peeking down to check on the baby. Surprisingly, Peter was calm and drowsy against his chest, slowly chewing on his own fist.

“Thank the gods for small miracles,” he said, smiling when Natasha wiggled a finger in to rub Peter’s cheek.

“He is quite sweet, you know. He always seems so happy.”

“Do not be fooled. He can make quite a lot of noise when he wants to.”

Natasha rolled her eyes and looked over Tony’s shoulder again. She grunted and shook her head, stepping away so he could turn around to the empty, cluttered room. It was difficult to see what had come out of his attempt to find a better life; he looked away from the mess and blinked back guilty tears.

“Could you take me down to see them?” He asked quietly.

She nodded and led the way, keeping a hand on the hilt of her sword as they trooped down to the dungeons. Thankfully, it was empty save for the two new prisoners. Rhodey was in the closest cell on the right, curled up in the corner with his shackled leg stuck out. Steve had been placed in the farthest cell and was chained to the wall by his wrists and middle, as he was still struggling and snarling despite clearly not being able to break free.

“How is he?” Natasha asked, going to stand next to the other Warlords.

“Well, he did not try to jump us, so better than expected,” Clint drawled, barely dodging the hand that tried to smack him, “Hey!”

“Be serious. Going feral could keep him incapacitated for weeks if we are not careful, and with the current situation with the Stark Kingdom, we cannot afford to have him down here grunting like a hog,” Sam said.

“Sam is right. We need to get both men back to normal,” Thor murmured, scratching his beard in thought, “How are we supposed to break a feral state?”

“You cannot.”

The Warlords all looked at Natasha, who shrugged.

“Becoming feral is a biological response to a bondmate being threatened…. or, at least, perceiving a threat,” she continued, “He needs to feel that his bondmate is safe. The problem is, he already  _ is _ .”

“What if we took Rhodey to an upper room? Or moved him to a room in the tavern?” Bucky suggested, “Maybe without his scent, Steve will think the threat is gone.”

“I shall ask the good doctor. He knows more about pheromones than any of us,” Thor said.

He bid the group farewell and left the others standing in silence, staring at Steve still struggling in his binds. Bucky shook his head and followed Thor, then was quickly joined by Clint and Sam.

“Of course, the Omegas are left to fix the problem,” Tony said, unable to help a cheeky grin when Natasha snorted.

“I think  _ you  _ can fix it. I am not the one Steven is gone over,” she answered.

“Can I go in? I do not think he would hurt me, and he definitely would not hurt Peter…. plus, the babe has not let out a peep since we have been down here. He is good about knowing when there is danger.”

Natasha fixed him with a stare, but she ultimately relented and opened the cell door for Tony to enter. 

“I will wait down the hall to give you privacy,” she said, not taking her eyes off of Steve, “If he tries anything--”

“We will be fine. I promise. Go make sure my other idiot is okay.”

She flicked her eyes over to him, and after a moment, nodded and left. Tony turned around to face Steve, careful to keep his arms wrapped around Peter for safety. He tentatively inched closer to the Prime, only stopping once he was close enough to touch.

“Steve,” Tony said quietly, “ _ Alpha _ …I know this is my fault, but I need you to come back. Peter and I are safe, see? You need to focus and  _ calm down _ .”

Steve snarled and tried to lurch at Tony, but the shackles held tight and kept him from doing anything more than leaning forward. It was terrifying, to say the least; he had never seen a feral Alpha, let alone a  _ Prime _ . The thought that Steve would kill Rhodey if he escaped like this made him nauseous, so Tony attempted to block out his conscience and rely on instinct. Ever so carefully, he slowly reached out a hand, delicately laying it on Steve’s abdomen, just above the largest shackle. Immediately, the Alpha tensed and growled, but the force behind it was weakened.

“That’s it. Easy now, Alpha. If you want to take care of your bondmate and your son, you have to not be feral,” Tony explained, wishing that Steve’s eyes did not look so dark and empty, “I need you to come back to me, Steven.”

Steve roared back and kept struggling, so Tony pushed down harder, feeling Steve’s muscles bunch and tense under the skin. He dug his nails in until Steve settled and started to pant from the strain, hanging loosely from the wall. Slowly, Tony moved his hand away, concern bubbling up in his chest when the Alpha began to whimper and struggled again to get closer to him.

“Hey, hey, hey. Easy. I am here,” Tony said quickly, putting his hand back on Steve’s stomach, “You have to calm down. Your people need their Prime, Steve.”

This was getting nowhere. He sighed and dropped his hand completely, looking away when Steve made a hurt noise again. There was no way he was going to be able to calm Steve down, and with Peter in his arms, he was not going to do much more than touch the man’s chest. It was frustrating, but Tony pressed a kiss to the baby’s head anyway, thankful that the little one was still calm amidst the chaos.

“I almost wish you were crying, my love,” he admitted, rubbing Peter’s back, “Maybe your Papa would calm down for you.”

He gently eased the baby’s fist out of his mouth and tucked it into the wrap, as he could see that Peter was beginning to droop and fall back asleep. Pleased, Tony kissed Peter’s head again and hugged the boy tightly, if only to give himself some comfort. It did not last very long, though, for the pathetic whimpers and small growls started up again behind him.

“Good gods, Steve. I get it, alright? I get it. You think I belong to you and that Rhodey has no right to care for me,” Tony snapped, turning on his heel to face the Alpha, “Well guess what? Rhodey has known me for a  _ lot _ longer than you have, and even if he and I are not bonded, I still care about him and he is still going to remain as one of my closest friends, whether you like it or not. Sure, he should not have flown off the handle, but--”

He scowled and shut his eyes tight, rubbing the space between his brows to try and quell his headache.

“But I should have outright made it clear to him that I was going to be bonded to you. He knows how I feel about--about being an Alpha’s property, let alone the single Alpha I was raised to cower in fear from. I know you just want what is best, but for gods’ sake, has it occurred to you that you could be  _ wrong? _ ”

Steve whimpered and bowed his back as he tried to break free again, making more wounded noises when he failed. Feeling as though he was getting nowhere, Tony stepped back over to the Alpha and ran a hand down his side, careful to not disturb his stitches.

“Rhodey was wrong too,” he continued quietly, “Perhaps at first you forced my hand, but you always back off once you understand and are apologetic. Not many Alphas are like that, and even less so those with power. He just needs time to get to know you and to get used to … this. To us. I will talk to him, but you are going to have to apologize.”

Tony squeezed his hand around Steve’s hip and tugged down, making eye contact with the Prime. His blue eyes were glazed over, but they were clearly trying to focus. 

“And if you  _ ever  _ hurt Rhodey, I will chop your balls off and feed them to you, one at a time.  _ Understand _ ?” Tony hissed, dropping his voice.

It was his threat--or maybe his tone, he was not sure--that finally got through. Steve growled loudly and shook, managing to get his feet up onto the wall to push. The extra force from his thighs allowed him to rip the manacles out of the stone wall and he fell to the ground on his hands and knees. The sound of the metal clanging against the ground was almost deafening; Peter startled awake and began to wail, at which Steve looked up, ready to pounce. If he had not been expecting it, Tony was sure he would have not made it out of the cell, as he barely got out the door and locked it before Steve leaped toward them. The Prime banged up against the bars and howled, sounding more distressed than angry.

“I know, I know sweetheart, I know,” Tony whispered, feeling their bond ache, “It will all be okay soon. I promise.”

He backed up until he hit the wall and slid down to his haunches, curling up around Peter to soothe him. The sound of running feet had him looking up to see Natasha approaching with a broom, which she used to whack against the cell so Steve would scurry back. He hissed at her, so she smacked the cell again for good measure, baring her teeth until he settled down.

“Are you hurt?” She asked Tony, going over to crouch next to him to look at Peter, “What about you? Did the big mean Alpha scare you?”

“The manacles coming out of the wall got both of us pretty good,” Tony admitted, feeling a lot safer with the other Omega around, “I knew he was strong, but to rip that out of the stone…”

“He is usually careful with his strength. To be this careless shows how out of it he is. Let us give him some time to be alone and perhaps he will come to his senses.”

Tony looked over at Steve sitting in his cell, curled up against the back wall. He could feel the confusion and possession of his mate still burning hot in his chest, and he knew that if it were him, he would want Steve to stay.

“I want a bit of time with him,” he said softly, kissing Peter’s cheek for good measure before unwrapping the baby from his chest, “Take Peter up to Thor and Bruce and I will be up shortly.”

Natasha sighed, but she did not argue with him and took Peter and the wrap when proffered up to her. Tony carefully stood up and watched them walk back down the hall, waiting until they were gone to go over to Steve. He sat back down by the bars and waited for the Alpha to look over at him.

“I do not want to leave you here when you are hurting like this,” Tony murmured, grabbing a bar and tilting his head against it, “I might be a little angry, but I know it was all a misunderstanding. I do not blame you for getting so heated… if it had been somebody else you were fighting with, perhaps I would have enjoyed it.”

The thought of Steve tearing someone to shreds to protect his honor  _ was  _ interesting, but this was Rhodey. If anything, he wanted them to get  _ along _ , to the point that it might have been mildly annoying. Hell, he would have taken silent agreement over this; it made him feel like he had to choose between them, which really meant choosing between Peter’s safety and Rhodey, and there was no question who he would pick. Troubled by the thought, Tony looked away from Steve, closing his eyes to try to fend off tears.

A deep growl vibrated directly next to his ear. Startled, Tony gasped noiselessly and tightened his hand around the bar of the cell as his eyes snapped open. He could see Steve’s knees out of his peripheral, and he knew that if he looked over, the Alpha would be right up in his face. It took a few steadying breaths, but he managed to turn his head, pretending as though he was not shaking from outright fear. Steve had snuck up to the bars and was visibly perplexed, as if he could not understand why there was a barrier between them. He attempted to get a hand through to touch, but Tony immediately scooted away on reflex. 

“I--sorry, sorry. I do not understand what you need,” Tony said shakily as he forced himself to move back to the bars, where Steve could touch him.

Steve growled lowly, only able to get his hand through the bars due to his size. He touched Tony’s knee with his fingertips, then let out a pathetic whine when he realized he could not touch him more.

“Shh, Steve, I am all here, try to relax,” Tony tried again.

The bond throbbed frantically as Steve strained to push more of his arm through the bars, but to no avail. The only way he was going to be able to get at Tony was if he got out of the cell, and the remains of the manacles on the floor reminded Tony exactly why he was not going to open the door. As a compromise, he grabbed Steve’s hand and pushed so their hands were inside the cell since Tony’s arms were thinner and could easily slip between the bars. He laced their fingers together and squeezed, hoping that it would help to ground Steve.

Immediately, Steve tried to drag him in as far as he could, to the point that his shoulder and face were pressed up against the bars. Tony swore under his breath and struggled a bit to get himself comfortable as Steve wrapped his body around his arm, pressing Tony’s hand against his scratchy cheek.

“Hey, darling, I know you need attention, but you are hurting me a little bit here,” Tony gritted out.

Steve’s cold nose pressed into his wrist and he gasped, shivering as the Alpha started to scent him, gently nuzzling and licking at the spot. He tried to pull away, but Steve was considerably stronger and held him in place, nipping one of his fingers in retaliation.

“Ow--ew, Steven, this is  _ not  _ the olden times, you do  _ not _ have to slobber all over me to claim me--”

Steve did not seem to care about Tony’s protests, but he quickly became bored with just Tony’s arm and tried to pull him in again. This time, he tugged a little too hard and Tony cried out in pain, jerking his arm out of the cell to cradle to his chest. He ignored Steve’s growls and pathetic whines and stood to leave, pretending as though his knees were not knocking together in fear.

“I--I will come back, I promise,” he managed, walking backward to keep Steve in his line of sight, “You stay here, okay?”

He watched as Steve rose up from the ground, eyes tracking his every movement. The Prime backed up to the wall and looked back and forth between Tony and the cell door, clearly forming a plan. Just as Tony figured out what he was doing, Steve pushed himself off the back wall with his left shoulder forward, slamming the entirety of his weight against the door. It went flying off of its hinges and crashed into the opposite wall, leaving Steve standing in the middle of the hallway with no barrier between him and Tony. 

_ Shit. _

Tony got himself turned around and ran a few feet when Steve’s mass barreled into him; he screamed and groaned as he was knocked over and brought down to the ground with all of Steve’s weight on his back. He tried to move, but Steve slipped his arms under him to wrap around his torso and hold him in place. The new position allowed him to breathe a little better. However, he was not a fan of being crushed.

“Please get off of me,” he said with a wheeze, smacking the stone floor, “ _ Steve _ .”

The Prime only grunted in response and began to kiss all over his neck, stopping over the bondmark to give it more attention. Tony sighed and rolled his eyes, resigning himself to his fate when a multitude of footsteps came running from down the hall.

“Tony?” Bucky. “What the hell happened?”

“Uh, Steve decided to open the door by himself, apparently.” Clint.

“Oh, good gods. How are we supposed to get him up then?”

“Hell if I know.”

“I would like to breathe sooner rather than later,” Tony offered up, shivering when Steve nibbled on the mark.

There was some shuffling, then Steve hissed above him, which he figured meant that Bucky and Clint were attempting to pull him off. Tony tried to scramble out, but a roll of Steve’s hips made him squeak and stay in place.

“Oh, sweet gods, you two better get me out of here--if he tries to take me on the dirty floor I  _ will _ blame both of you,” he said, pouting when the Warlords started to laugh, “This is  _ not _ a funny situation, I do  _ not  _ appreciate an Alpha in a pseudo-rut getting grabby with me--”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Bucky snorted, “Just hold on for a moment, Clint will go get the others and we will keep your pretty pants intact.”

Tony watched Clint’s shoes go by as he ran off and he sighed, wincing when Steve rolled his hips again and huffed into his ear. He tried to lay as still as possible and shut his eyes, attempting to ignore Steve’s nibbling up his neck and on his jaw.

“Steve. Quit.”

Tony heard Bucky’s foot connect with flesh and he tensed, shooting out from under Steve when the Warlord got up to try and attack the offending foot. He did not look back as he ran pell-mell down the hallway, flying past the extremely confused faces of the other Warlords. He ran up the stairs and toward his bedroom, only stopping once he found Natasha sitting on his bed with Peter fast asleep in her arms. She stared at him as he got to work barricading the door with Steve’s desk. He was not sure how long it would hold, but it gave him enough peace of mind to collapse next to Natasha, tucking himself up into her side and motioning for the baby.

“Am I allowed to say I told you so?” She said, passing Peter over.

“No. You are now my bodyguard until this is over,” Tony said flatly, instantly feeling calmer when the familiar weight was tucked up against his chest, “He is either going into a rut or thinks sex is the best form of claiming, and I am not going to be the one to stab his balls if he tries it again.”

He looked up at Nat to catch a wisp of a smile, which was just as good as a boisterous laugh. Comforted, he relaxed and let her slide an arm around him again.

“So what will happen now? Will he get better?” He whispered.

“Honestly? I am not sure. His control will come back eventually, with time.”

It was strange to feel saddened by it; he had become so attached to the Prime in such a short amount of time and wanted him back already. He tucked away the conflicting emotions and turned his attention to Peter, leaning down to press a kiss to the baby’s forehead. Pete blinked open his sleepy eyes and cooed, reaching grabby hands up to tug on his daddy’s beard.

“Hello, my love. Did you enjoy your time with Miss Natasha?” Tony said, turning to play-bite at the baby’s fingers, “You have stayed so quiet and calm today, despite all that is going on. You have your mama’s strength, hm?”

He poked the baby’s belly and smiled at his tiny squeals, playfully kissing his tummy until the babe squirmed in protest. 

“Oh, my little worm, what am I going to do with you?” 

Peter did not give a response, but Tony brought him up for a kiss anyway, cuddling him to his chest. He felt the baby tuck his head into his neck and nearly cried as his heart swelled with affection for the little one. 

“Try not to worry, Anthony,” Natasha said, squeezing his arm, “Maybe you could reach out through the bond? Give yourself something to focus on.”

“I do not know if I can. I tried before, but it felt like I had stuck my whole body in a forge,” he admitted, “It burns.”

“I would rather have love burn deeply than barely burn at all.”

He paused at that.

“I...I guess I can try.”

With Peter snuggled up to him to keep him warm, Tony leaned into Natasha’s shoulder and shut his eyes, willing his brain to slow down so he could focus on the bright heat radiating in his chest. It still burned with possession, but he dared to reach for it, feeling for a glimpse of Steve within the bond. 

_ Where are you, Alpha? _

The animalistic feelings were too thick to pry open. In an attempt to soothe them, Tony tried to picture calming things, like summer walks on the beach and laying in bed long after the sunrise. Peter’s weight on his chest brought forth vivid images of the babe sleeping on him and cuddling up to him, so Tony concentrated on those and hoped that Steve could feel him. 

_ Come back to me, darling. You still have to take care of Peter and me after nearly rendering me bed-bound last night. _

Slowly, the heat that scorched his insides receded, cooling down enough to reveal the thick exhaustion and guilt that resided underneath. If he was honest with himself, Tony felt bad for Steve. He understood that the Prime had little physical control over his body and any mental faculties he had were shut down to make way for the biological response. Tony knew a thing or two about biology royally fucking him over, so he reached through what still burned to soothe Steve’s guilt.

_ Shhh, love. All you need to do is come back to me and it will all be over. Everything is alright. I am safe.  _ You  _ are safe.  _ Relax _ . Let the others help you. _

It felt hopeless. Tony opened his eyes and sighed, leaning up from Natasha to slump against the wall. She patted his shoulder and slipped off of the bed to move Steve’s desk back into place, then paused with her hand on the doorknob as she turned to leave.

“I will be right outside. Try to rest,” she said, “Perhaps feed the little one again. Distract yourself and let us take care of this.”

He did not look up to see her go; only the sound of the door opening and closing let him know that he was alone with Peter once more. 

“I do not know if you need to be fed, but after being downstairs, I know that  _ I _ need to bathe,” he murmured, gently patting Peter’s back as he stood to pad over to the big bed, “How does that sound, hm? A long, hot bath should be good for both of us. Then we can put on new clothes and have a little nap.”

Peter gently kicked a foot into Tony’s stomach and he laughed, laying the baby down so he could undress them both. 

“Are you going to fuss with me, sweetheart?” He teased as he scooped the naked baby up, “You going to make me pay attention to you, one way or another? Do not worry, my love, I am all yours. Once your silly Papa gets all sorted out, we will go have a walk in the nice sun…”

Tony chattered on as he went about drawing a bath, careful to test its temperature before easing them both into the water. Peter seemed content to splash around one-handed as he was bathed, tucked up into Tony’s chest. Careful to not move too quickly, Tony sat up and tilted the baby backward, making sure he was properly supported as he washed his hair. 

“Sorry, honey. I know it is not fun, but you would not like soap in your eyes,” he said, immediately tucking Peter back into place once he was done, “See? Not so bad. Now, all you have to do is lay there while I finish up. Then we can have some Daddy-Peter time, yeah?”

He wished Peter could talk already, but the boy’s babbling was more than enough for the moment. Pretending as though Pete was answering him, Tony continued on their ‘conversation,’ only pausing once he was satisfied with their bath and stood to get out. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and frowned, taking in his scraggly features and dark under-eyes.

“Let us get dressed, and while you take a moment to settle in your bassinet, I am going to try and get rid of this monster on my face.”

If Peter was opposed to his plan, he made no comment on it, as he complied with wriggling into his new clothes and being laid down. Satisfied that the baby was set and safe, Tony rummaged through the closet until he found new underwear and one of Steve’s few shirts. Out of habit, he looked around before putting the fabric to his nose and inhaling deeply, allowing the scent of the Prime to ease the tension in his body. The shirt went on, and though it only hung to mid-thigh, Tony decided to skip pants for the time being. He much preferred wearing Steve’s larger clothes and there were no pants or skirts of the Alpha’s that would stay up on his smaller frame.

“Razor, razor,” he muttered to himself as he rummaged around the bathroom, opening every cabinet until he found what he wanted, “Aha! Razor.”

It was nothing but a blade with a handle; it would have to do. Thankfully, there was also a pair of trimming scissors, which meant he could clean up a lot nicer. He first trimmed everything down to an appropriate length, then went in on the sides, leaving the part around his lips and chin. Careful to keep his hands steady, he shaped the hair above his lips with the scissors and smoothed the edges with the razor. 

“Not bad if I say so myself,” he declared to the mirror, running a hand over his goatee.

A small noise from the other room drew his attention away from his reflection. He quickly cleaned up the bathroom then rushed back to Peter’s side, hushing the baby as he lifted him back up to cradle in his arms.

“You okay, darling? I cleaned you, changed you, you were not fed too long ago… gods, I probably smell stressed to you and am making you upset…I know, I know. I have no need to be worried, he will be fine and this awful day will be behind us. Then, all of us can spend time together as one big family. Would you like that? I bet you would.”

_ Gods, I am rambling to an infant _ , he groaned inwardly, deciding to plop them down on Steve’s bed.

Subconsciously, Tony began to arrange the pillows around them in a circle, then grabbed the furs to drape over himself and Peter’s legs. The babe was laying next to his head and only a small glance at Peter’s face told him everything he needed to know.

“I am tired too, love,” Tony agreed, yawning when Peter’s little eyes blinked sleepily, “A quick doze will be good for us, and when you wake up your Papa should be right as rain and ready to give you attention, I  _ promise _ .”

Peter slipped his thumb into his mouth and started to drift off, bringing a smile to Tony’s face. He reached out to smooth down the few wisps of hair on his head, then reluctantly pulled away. The near-silence in the room was a welcome respite after an intense morning. His heart longed to go find Rhodey and comfort him, but he knew the best thing he could do for him was to stay away until he was well again. Tony rolled onto his back and bit back a whimper when he felt the pain between his legs creep back. Technically, he could take care of himself, yet the piece of him that had already grown fond of Steve wanted the Prime to come do it and comfort him. 

“What am I going to do, Pete?” He muttered.

He turned back onto his side to face the baby, feeling some relief that the child was asleep. After seeing the look on Bruce’s face that morning, he knew the man had been up all night with Peter, which meant Peter had  _ also _ been awake all night. He thought that would have made him cranky and irritable, but instead, he was quiet and sleepy.

“I love you, little one,” Tony said softly in their native language.

The pull to join the baby in sleep became unbearable. He shifted the furs around so he was covered up to the neck and closed his eyes, breathing in the mixed scent of both Peter and Steve to calm his thoughts. Exhaustion from the hectic morning settled in his bones and he was dead to the world. He slept dreamlessly until commotion outside of the room triggered something in his brain and his eyes snapped open. His poor heart pounded as he sluggishly grappled with trying to figure out what woke him up.

_ At least Peter is still asleep, thank the gods. _

Tony considered getting up to check outside the door, but a crash and a yelp quickly stifled that thought and he shut his eyes tight, laying perfectly still as it would make him disappear. A quiet whimper had him peek open an eye and he smiled, seeing that the baby had finally decided to join the fun.

“Shh, love, I am here,” he whispered, wiggling a finger into Peter’s tiny fist for the baby the hold onto, “Go back to sleep. I will keep you safe, I promise.”

Another crash followed by loud shushing seemed to come from on the other side of the wall. If it was Steve attempting to get into the room, Tony knew he needed to move Peter to his bassinet in the hopes that he would be safer there. 

“Okay, time to move,” he whispered, praying to the gods that the baby would stay quiet.

He quickly scooped Peter up and hurried him over, tucking him in with one of the smaller bed’s furs in the hopes that the scent that lingered would keep him calm. The noises started up again and the door handle rattled; Tony all but threw himself back onto the big bed and dragged the furs over his body, feigning sleep just as the door creaked open.

“ _ Steven Grant _ , you need to leave them  _ alone _ ,” Natasha’s voice hissed lowly, “Look, both of them are finally sleeping after the horror you put them through--”

“Easy, Tasha. Do not set him off again,” Bucky’s voice said, “But she is right. Surely you can feel how exhausted Tony is. Why not go sit and cool off for a while?”

“I need to make sure they are okay.”

Steve sounded  _ rough _ . His voice was gravelly and low as if he were ill with the winter’s warmth. It was no doubt from growling all damn morning, and if it were not so terrifying, Tony might have laughed. Instead, he laid perfectly still and breathed evenly, hoping that the other Warlords could convince Steve to walk away.

“You can see that they are fine. You might make things worse if you wake them up, you know. Tony does not know that your damn brain came back to you and might freak out if he wakes up and you are hovering over him,” Natasha snapped.

“ _ Please _ , Natasha. Just--just for a minute or two. I need to make sure I did not break him any more than he already was when he got here. I could not live with myself if I hurt him.”

Tony felt his heart break a little. Even if he could not feel Steve’s shame through the bond, the poor man soured the whole room with his scent, clearly in distress. He wanted to get up and throw himself at Steve to comfort him, but Peter beat him to it and began to cry, no doubt upset by the Prime’s scent.

“Look what you did,” Bucky hissed, “Now he is going to wake Tony up and--”

Tony peeked open an eye just in time to see Steve hobble over to the crib, carefully picking Peter up to nestle on his shoulder. He shushed the babe and rocked back and forth while rubbing slow circles on his back. There must have been witchcraft involved, for Peter’s cries dissolved into sniffles and then soft snores. The whole room seemed to let out a sigh of relief; Steve gently eased Peter down into his arms with a smile and tucked him back into his cradle. Before he could turn around, Tony closed his eye again to keep from getting caught.

“How are you so good with him? I have never seen you around children,” Natasha said.

“Back when I was a tot and still able to sit on my mother’s knee, she let me help her take care of any of the children that came to the castle. She taught me how to hold them and soothe them, especially when it came to Omegas. She had me think about my happiest memories, my favorite sweets, and other things of that nature. I do not remember if she told me the reason as to why I was supposed to do that… I would have been too young to understand it anyway.”

The room turned silent, so Tony took that as his opportunity to pretend to wake up by stretching out his arms with a whine. He opened his eyes to see the three Warlords staring at him with unreadable expressions on their faces, then Natasha pivoted to physically put her body between him and Steve.

“Do not panic. We were just leaving,” she said, “Go back to sleep.”

Tony made eye contact with Bucky, who shrugged one shoulder and tugged on Steve, attempting to get the man to move. As predicted, Steve held his ground with a glare and slapped away Bucky’s hand.

“Enough, Steve.” Tony heard himself say, surprising everyone in the room, “Peter and I will go elsewhere so you can be alone and rest.”

A flash of hurt flickered in the bond, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. Tony furrowed his brow in confusion as he watched Steve move to leave, only to be stopped by Natasha’s hand on his arm.

“Do you have yourself under control?” She said, “Do you think you can stay calm if you stay close to Tony?”

The Warlord looked over at him, then back to Natasha, and nodded. It was silent for a moment as she considered him. She let go of his arm and nodded back, stepping to the side to skirt around him and leave. 

“Tony, if something happens, scream,” Bucky said bluntly, ignoring Steve’s frown, “I do not care if you feel obligated to help him. If he is doing something you do not want, yell and we will come running. As it is, I do not think you two should be left alone any more today, but I will not be the first to question Nat’s judgment.”

Bucky left and shut the door behind himself, leaving Steve and Tony to stare at each other while Peter slept. Steve stepped forward and Tony immediately flinched, making the Warlord pause and fill the bond with hurt again.

“No! No, I--I am sorry, come here, please,” Tony said quickly as he sat up and tucked his legs under himself.

Careful to not scare Steve off, Tony held out his hand, waiting until the Warlord was close enough to gently touch his hip. He held him steady and, upon seeing that Steve was not going to cart him off and ravish him, peeled off his ruined bandage to reveal the red wound underneath.

“Look at you. Already got it dirty and inflamed,” he murmured to himself, wincing as he stood from the bed, “We need to clean that again.”

Steve’s only acknowledgment was a sharp exhale through his nose. Tony ignored it and took his hand to pull him into the bathroom, pretending as though he could not feel how heavy their bond was with his mate’s guilt. He left Steve standing by the counter so he could grab the medical supplies he needed to re-disinfect and rebandage the wound.

“Now, this time, do you want to bathe? If so, that comes first so I do not waste any supplies,” Tony said casually as he put his supplies on the counter.

He looked up at Steve, who merely folded his arms and nodded without making eye contact. It was difficult to see the Warlord be so sullen, but he was reminded of Thor’s advice:  _ he tends to be dramatic. _

“I am going to join you. I have not bathed either,” Tony lied.

Moving to turn on the water allowed him to hide his face from Steve. He shucked off Steve’s shirt and tossed it with his underwear to the side, only to feel fingers stroking his side. Steve’s fingers traced over his ribs, so he looked under his arm and saw a small bruise. 

“Oh.  _ That… _ Steve, do not worry, I am okay,” he tried, smiling up at him, “I have had worse. I promise it does not hurt, yeah?”

Steve’s sad eyes peeked out from under wet lashes, making Tony feel like an absolute jackass. Slowly, he untied Steve’s skirt and let it drop to the ground, holding onto Steve’s hands so he could step out of it and into the bath. Steve grunted and swore as he sat, no doubt achy and sore from struggling against his bindings all morning. Tony stepped in and slid down behind him, unable to help his cheeky smile when Steve stared at him.

“Relax,” he soothed, pulling Steve back against his chest, “Drift. It will help you feel better.”

“Surely I will crush you with my weight,” Steve mumbled.

“Not at all. I am much stronger than I look, doll. Let yourself go for a bit.”

Tony did not need the bond to know that Steve did not believe him for one second. However, the Warlord eventually let himself relax and his shoulders sagged with the weight of the day. It was pitiful, sort of like a kitten that had gotten caught in the rain, and Tony could not help but wrap his arms around the man and kiss his cheek to comfort him.

“There, there,” he soothed, resting his chin on Steve’s shoulder, “It will get better soon. Once Rhodey is back to normal, we can all sit down like regular adults and talk.”

He paused to gauge Steve’s reaction, but he said nothing. Tony sighed and tightened his hold, wishing he knew how to convince the man that Rhodey was a good friend, nothing more.

“Would you ever fuck Barnes?” He asked, wincing when Steve whirled around to glare at him.

“ _ No _ ,” Steve snapped, “Why would you ask that?”

Tony shrugged.

“You think I would leave you to fuck Rhodey. I think that to keep things equal, I should believe that  _ you _ would leave  _ me _ to fuck Barnes,” he said casually.

Steve’s glare softened to a pout and he turned back around, haughtily folding his arms over his chest again. Tony sighed and rolled his eyes.

_ He is going to be the death of me, _ he thought dully, momentarily wishing Bruce had been wrong about the Prime’s stubborn streak.

He let it go for the moment and proceeded with washing Steve, careful of his still-battered body. Of course, his hands were batted at when he tried to go below Steve’s waist, at which he slapped the soap into the man’s hand and clumsily got up out of the bath.

“Tony--”

“Do  _ not  _ ‘Tony!’ me,” he said, grabbing a cloth to dry off with, “I am  _ trying _ . Your obsession with me caused you to lose your damn mind, almost kill my closest friend, and nearly take me on the floor of the dungeon. Then, when I  _ graciously _ try to let you near me again, you pout like a child and refuse to let me take care of you.”

Tony threw on his clothes and leaned against the counter, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he thought. He wanted to launch into another tirade, but even thinking about it gave him a headache. It frustrated him to no end that the Alpha was acting like a caveman. He turned to say this, only to find Steve staring at the water with a flushed face, eyes glassy and lips trembling. All of that anger immediately turned into guilt, and by  _ gods _ did he feel like an ass.

“Oh, sweetheart. No need to cry,” Tony murmured, kneeling down by the tub to pet Steve’s hair, “I apologize. I know you are just as upset with yourself as I am. I can feel how guilt-ridden you are and I know it really is not your fault. You cannot help that you are butting heads with another Alpha. We will get this all sorted out soon so we can all move on, okay? Please do not cry. One of my boys already cries enough as it is.”

Steve gave a teary smile at that and nodded. Relief loosened his shoulders and Tony squeezed the back of Steve’s neck, idly rubbing his thumb over their bondmark.

“Finish up your bath so I can bandage your cut, okay? I want to check on Peter for a quick moment.”

He left Steve on his own and went to peek at the baby, relieved to find him dreaming away. It always worried him when he left Peter alone for too long, but the distraction gave Steve a few minutes to compose himself and redress. Once he heard the water start to drain, Tony went back into the bathroom.

“We need to talk about your clothing choices at some point,” he said, raising an eyebrow at Steve’s grunt, “Not that I do not love having your body on display, but I really would like it to be a sight for only my eyes. Plus, seeing you nearly naked makes me want to ravish you all the time, and it really is not healthy to think of sex that often.”

Steve choked on air as Tony held in his laughter, digging through the medical supplies for bandaging. The bath had taken care of the cleaning portion, so all he had to do was wrap Steve’s waist and give it a loving pat.

“Please try to keep this one clean, okay?”

At Steve’s nod, he turned to lead them back to their bed but paused on the first step. Embarrassed, Tony slowly turned back around and wrung his hands.

“Speaking of ravishing… would you help me again? With my…. aches,” he mumbled, “The numbing has gone away already.”

He could feel his face heat up into what he assumed was a very prominent blush. Steve raised an eyebrow at him and he started to squirm, not liking the judgment stamped onto the Alpha’s face.

“Of course I will help. I did warn you that if you did not let me prepare you enough, you would end up hurt,” Steve said, “You could have avoided all of this if you had been a little more patient. But, at least now I know to fight my instincts more to make sure you are ready.”

“I do not mind it  _ that _ much--”

Tony grumbled to himself as Steve grabbed the ointment from the medical supplies, unhappy with the fact that the Warlord is right. Together, they trooped back out to the bedroom and Tony went to lay down, until Steve grabbed his arm to stop him.

“On your knees, cheek on the bed, please,” he requested, “I want to check you over again, just to make sure nothing tore.”

Gods, it was  _ humiliating _ . Tony crawled up onto the bed to position himself with his ass in the air, Steve’s shirt riding up to crumple around his neck. He was okay with the underwear being pulled down, but as soon as Steve’s warm hands cupped his ass he turned his face down into the bed to hide. 

_ The Omega curse _ , he thought dully, feeling his body relax and react to Steve’s careful fingers.

“You are alright,” he heard Steve say, “The slick helps, I promise. It means you are nice and loose, and that helps with the, uh, healing process.”

“Are you sure? You do not sound sure,” Tony grumbled.

He jerked forward when Steve’s fingers gently massaged his rim and he had to bite down on his lip to keep from whimpering. It did not hurt as much as it had that morning, yet Steve’s fingers were still just as big, and now he could focus on them without being distracted by the pain. This was the  _ second _ time he had been fingered open today, and it seemed that Steve was being more thorough this time around by stopping every now and again to add more ointment. It was goddamn  _ torture _ .

“Steve--”

Tony grunted and cleared his throat to try and stop himself from sounding so wrecked.

“Can you hurry? Please? With the baby sleeping, I do not--”

“Right, yes, of course,” Steve interrupted quickly, “I am almost done. No worries.”

He sounded suspiciously nervous. If he focused on the bond, Tony knew he could probably figure out what had the Alpha worked up, but prying was the last thing on his mind. Instead, as soon as Steve’s fingers pulled out completely, Tony reached back to yank his underwear back up and sat up, putting his shirt back into place. Hiding his arousal with his clothing allowed him to relax a little, so he crawled back into the nest of pillows he had made earlier and plopped down with a groan as he dragged some of the bed furs over himself. He shut his eyes to the sound of Steve washing his hands and presumably cleaning up after them.

“...Tony? Omega?”

_ Omega? _

Tony peeked open an eye to see Steve standing in the bathroom doorway, hands wrung nervously in front of his chest. He could feel the worry pulsing in their bond, causing his own heart to beat faster.

“Yes?” He said, half-mumbling into a pillow.

“May--Can I join you? To rest?”

_ Hm… _

“Uh-huh.”

Tony closed his eye again and lifted up the furs, allowing Steve to crawl under them with him. The Alpha ran warm enough that it felt like he had his own personal heater in the bed. He snuggled up to him, but Steve was rigid and tense like he was expecting to leap out of bed at any second. Tony tilted his head back so he could peer up at the Warlord, noting that he was staring off at the far wall instead of sleeping.

“Idiot,” he cursed in the Southern language, madder at himself for not realizing sooner that Steve was a bit beyond not okay.

“What?” Steve said, confused.

Tony shook his head.

“Are you alright?” He said, “Do you need me to get Barnes or Natasha? You are wound tighter than Clint’s best bow. I am afraid you might snap at any second.”

Steve’s face remained passive, but the guilt seeping through their bond told another story. All he had to do was raise one eyebrow to get Steve’s facade to crumble. 

“I feel terrible about--about everything,” Steve confessed, “I may not have been in control of my body, but my mind could still hold a thought, and I wondered--”

He licked his lips: a nervous tick.

“--I wondered if maybe James was right, that I forced your hand, forced you into this…”

He reached up to touch the mark on Tony’s neck, sending electric shivers down the Omega’s spine. 

“All I wanted and  _ want _ is for you and the baby to be safe. The fact that you got to me alive and in one piece was a miracle, little rabbit. If anyone other than Thor had found you, I am sure you would have been carted off somewhere to be sold as a slave or used as a bargaining chip with Howard. Perhaps I was hasty, or too drawn in by you, to clearly think through the best path forward. I was angry that you had been hurt and the best way to keep you from ever getting hurt again was to make you mine…even if you do not need my protection.”

Tony shushed him and reached over to comfortingly rub his arm. 

“You have been very good to me. Most Alphas, let alone regal ones, would refuse to put up with someone as bull-headed and stubborn as me. You can have easily had us thrown back to the sharks or killed, but instead, you let us in to take care of us. Granted, it may take a while for us to fully understand each other, though I have heard that you really are soft-hearted.”

“Yet you do not contradict me when I say I took advantage of you,” Steve said quietly, “Did I?”

He must have visibly winced, for Steve’s eyes immediately filled with tears and he sat up, managing to slip his legs off of the bed before Tony could grab onto him.

“None of that, now. If I was in your position, I would have made the same choice, especially if it meant keeping you away from your bastard of a father. Er,  _ my _ bastard of a father. You made your choice in good faith, Steven. Even if you could not say that yourself, the others have been quick to tell me about how good you are. Was it surprising and scary? Of course. But so was taking my son and running into the wilderness. And I do not regret that decision one bit.”

“Still. I should have said no to bonding so soon. I should have asked you to wait, made sure you were confident in your decision--”

“ _ Enough _ ,” Tony growled, pushing his voice in the hopes that it would make Steve see reason, “I am no daisy needing to be coddled and kept in a glass cage. I  _ chose _ to willingly bond with you. You have known me enough moons now to know that I would not have let you do so if I did not desire it. Banish the thought from your head, and come  _ here _ .”

He laid back down and held his arms out, glaring at Steve until he relented and joined him. He laid down on his belly, half on top of Tony and half on the bed. It was a dominant position, to hold Steve and have his face pressed into his neck, but Tony could not find it in himself to care. All he wanted was for the lingering burnt scent in the air to dissipate and for their bond to not feel so heavy. 

“Well done, my love,” he murmured, wrapping one arm around Steve and raising the other so he could pet Steve’s hair, “Communication is not so bad, right? And we did not even need Thor this time.”

He laughed and Tony smiled, turning his head to nose at Steve’s temple. Not everything was said that needed to be said, yet it was enough for them to be able to relax without constant worry. It made Tony want to get up to bring Peter over for cuddles even though the babe was happily sleeping on his own on the other side of the room. Steve seemed to feel the same since their bond swelled with affection as he leaned up slightly so he could peek down at the crib.

“Let him rest. You can snuggle with him later, when we go for a walk,” Tony said quietly.

Steve looked up at him with hopeful, wide eyes. Gods, he was precious, like a puppy begging for scraps. Somewhere, deep in the recess of his subconscious, Tony noted that he most likely would not be able to say no to Steve if he pulled that face more often. He reached up to smooth out the crease between Steve’s brows, then smiled as he leaned in for a languid kiss. Steve groaned into his mouth and practically melted under his lips; Tony could feel the heat start to pool in his gut at the Alpha’s noises. Reluctantly, he pulled away.

“I know,” Tony soothed when Steve whined, “But not with Peter here. Would  _ you  _ want to be knotted when the baby starts to cry?”

“...No…” Steve admitted with a grumble.

Tony laughed quietly and tucked him back into his neck, kissing his cheek for good measure. He felt good, and the bond felt good, thrumming with happy energy. Things had finally evened out and he could rest easy, but then three knocks had to go and sound on the door.

_ Knock. _

_ Knock. _

_ Knock. _


End file.
